Ipomoea cairica

Nomenclature

Accepted name/Authority/Place of publication:

Ipomoea cairica (L.) Sweet, Hort. Brit., ed. 1: 287. 1826.

Synonyms:

Convolvulus cairicus L., Syst. Nat. (ed. 10) 2: 922. 1759

Convolvulus tuberculatus Desr. in Lam., Encycl. 3: 39. 1789.

Ipomoea palmata Forssk., Fl. Aegypt.-Arab. 43. 1775.

I. stipulacea Jacq.

I. tuberculata (Desr.) Roemer & Schultes, Syst. Veg. 4: 208. 1819.

Ipomoea pulchella Roth, Nov. Sp. Pl. 115. 1821.

Ipomoea pendula R.Br., Prod. Fl. Nov. Holl. 486 (1810)

Convolvulus pendulus (R.Br.) Spreng., Syst. Veg. edn 17, 1: 590 (1824).

Convolvulus cairicus L. palmata Forssk.

Description

Habit:

Herbs perennial, twining, with a tuberous root; axial parts glabrous?. Stems to 5 m, thinly angular, ± tuberculate or smooth.

Leaves:

Petiole 2–8 cm, base with leafy pseudo-stipules; leaf blade palmately 5-parted to base; lobes entire or minutely undulate, apex acute or obtuse, mucronulate; middle lobe larger, ovate, ovate-lanceolate or elliptic, (25–)40–50 × (5–)20–25 mm; lateral lobes smaller; basal pair of lobes usually again lobed or parted.

Inflorescences:

Inflorescences 1- or several flowered; peduncle 2–8 cm; bracts and bracteoles early deciduous, squamiform, small. Pedicel 5–20 mm, sometimes verruculose.

Flowers:

Sepals unequal, outer 2 sepals 4–6.5 mm, inner sepals 5–9 mm, glabrous, abaxial surface ± verruculose, margin paler, scarious. Corolla pink, purple, or reddish purple, with a darker center, rarely white, funnelform, (2.5–)5–7 cm. Stamens included, unequal. Ovary glabrous; stigma 2-lobed.

Fruits:

Capsule ± globose, ca. 1 cm.

Seeds:

Seeds black, ca. 5 mm, densely tomentose, margin with longer hairs.

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:

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:

Origin unknown, now distributed nearly pantropically: Africa,Pakistan, India, Myanmar, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, Malesia, Pacific Islands, and South America. Australia (Western Australia; Northen Territory; Queensland; New South Wales)

Ecology:

China: Thickets,
roadsides, waste places, cultivated areas, sunny meadows in lowlands; 100–600
m.

Thailand: Weedy
in vacant lots and waste ground, grassy roadsides, and in thin dry forest,
often found near human habitations; altitude: 0–1000 m.

Phenology:

Flowering: February, March, June–August, October–December.

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:

wu zhao jin long, qian xi wu zhao jin long (Chinese). The entire plant is used for treating external infections. Phak bung rua (Thai).

Infraspecific Characters:

Chinese floras recognize a smaller variety (var. gracillima (Collett & Hemsley) C. Y. Wu) based on leaf and flower size, but these hardly seem taxonomically valuable in a species that shows great plasticity in these characters.