Ipomoea muricata

Nomenclature

Accepted name/Authority/Place of publication: 

Ipomoea muricata (L.) Jacq., Pl. hort. schoenbr. 3(2): 40, plate 323. 1798.

Synonyms: 

Convolvulus muricatus L., Syst. Nat. ed. 12, 2: 156. 1767

C. colubrinus Blanco

Calonyction longiflorum Hasskarl

C. muricatum (L.) G. Don

C. speciosum Choisy var. muricatum (L.) Choisy

Ipomoea bona-nox L. var. purpurascens Ker-Gawler

Ipomoea turbinata Lagasca 

Description

Habit: 
Herbs annual, twining; axial parts often tuberculate, glabrous or nearly so; sap milky. Stems 2–10 m.
Leaves: 
Petiole 4–12 cm; leaf blade cordate, 7–18 × 6.5–15 cm, base cordate, margin entire, apex acute or caudate-acuminate.
Inflorescences: 
Inflorescence 1- to few flowered; peduncle 3–6 cm; bracts oblong, ca. 8 mm, scarious. Pedicel 1–2 cm, thicker apically, much thickened in fruit.
Flowers: 
Flowers nocturnal. Sepals oblong to ovate, ± equal, fleshy, glabrous, distinctly enlarged in fruit and eventually reflexed; outer 2 sepals 6–8 mm, apex attenuate into a thick, nearly erect, ca. 4 mm awn; inner 3 sepals 7–8 mm, apex obtuse or emarginate, awn shorter. Corolla pale purple, salverform, 5–7.5 cm; tube 3–6 cm, flaring apically; limb funnelform to rotate, 3–5 cm in diam., shallowly 5-lobed. Stamens slightly exserted or not; filaments inserted in apical part of corolla tube, base sparsely short pubescent; anthers large, base cordate. Pistil slightly exserted or not; ovary glabrous; stigma 2-lobed.
Fruits: 
Capsule ovoid, 1.8–2 cm, mucronate.
Seeds: 
Seeds black, trigonous, 9–10 mm, glabrous.
Author: 
Fang R.C. & G. Staples
References: 

Fang R.C., G. Staples, et al. 1995. Convolvulaceae in P. Raven & C.Y. Wu (eds.) Flora of China 16: 271–325.  

Cytology

Chromosome number: 
30
Author: 
Fang R.C. & G. Staples
References: 

Fang R.C., G. Staples, et al. 1995. Convolvulaceae in P. Raven & C.Y. Wu (eds.) Flora of China 16: 271–325.  

Biogeography, Ecology and Natural History

Distribution Map: 
Distribution: 

Native in tropical America, now pantropical; cultivated and naturalized in China (Henan, Hubei, Hunan, S Yunnan), India, Indonesia, Japan, Kashmir, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam; Africa.

Ecology: 

In
thickets, floodlands; 600–1200 m. 

Author: 
Fang R.C. & G. Staples
References: 

Fang R.C., G. Staples, et al. 1995. Convolvulaceae in P. Raven & C.Y. Wu (eds.) Flora of China 16: 271–325.  

Other information

Common names and uses: 
ding xiang qie (Chinese). Gunn (Brittonia 24: 166. 1972) reports that the young seeds, fruits, and thickened pedicels are eaten as a vegetable in China, Sri Lanka and India and the species is cultivated as an ornamental for the non-fragrant and nocturnal flowers. In China, the leaves are used in treating stomach aches, and the seeds for treating trauma.
General comments: 

Gunn (Brittonia 24: 150–168. 1972) discussed the nomenclature of this species, and took up the name I. turbinata Lagasca for it. Subsequently, Staples et al. (Taxon 54: 1075–1079. 2005) established that the correct name has to be I. muricata (L.) Jacq.  

Authorship for webpage

Editor: 
George Staples, Esmond Er
Contributors: 
Classification: 
Ipomoea muricata
Thu, 2011-09-22 03:02 -- Esmond
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