Ipomoea indica

Nomenclature

Accepted name/Authority/Place of publication:

Ipomoea indica (Burm.) Merr., Interpr. Herb. Amboin. 445. 1917.

Synonyms:

Convolvulus indicus Burm., Index Univ. Herb. Amb. 7: 6. 1755

Convolvulus acuminatus Vahl., Symb. Bot.. 3: 26 (1794)

C. congestus (R. Br.) Spreng.

Ipomoea acuminata (Vahl) Roem. & Schult., Syst. Veg. 4:228 (1819)

I. amoena Blume

I. cataractae Endl.

I. cathartica Poir.

Ipomoea congesta R. Br., Prod. Fl. Nov. Holl. 485 (1810)

I. insularis (Choisy) Steudel

I. kiuninsularis Masamune

Ipomoea learii Paxton, Paxton’s Mag. Bot. 6:267 (1839).

I. mutabilis Lindl.

Parasitipomoea formosana Hayata

Pharbitis acuminata (Vahl) Choisy

P. acuminata var. congesta (R. Br.) Choisy

P. cathartica (Poir.) Choisy

P. indica (Burm.) R. C. Fang

P. insularis Choisy

P. learii (Paxton) Lindl.

Description

Habit:

Herbs, twining or sometimes prostrate, with ± densely retrorsely pilose axial parts. Stems 3–6 m, sometimes rooting at nodes.

Leaves:

Petiole 2–18 cm; leaf blade ovate or circular, 5–15 × 3.5–14 cm, abaxial surface densely short, soft, pubescent, adaxial surface ± sparsely pubescent, base cordate, margin entire or ± 3-lobed, apex acuminate or abruptly acuminate.

Inflorescences:

Inflorescences dense umbellate cymes, several flowered; peduncle 4–20 cm; bracts linear, sometimes lanceolate. Pedicel 2–5(–8) mm.

Flowers:

Sepals nearly equal, 1.4–2.2 cm, gradually linear-acuminate apically, glabrous to appressed pilose; outer 3 sepals lanceolate to broadly lanceolate; inner 2 sepals narrowly lanceolate. Corolla bright blue or bluish purple, aging reddish purple or red, with a paler center, funnelform, 5–8 cm, glabrous. Stamens included. Pistil included; ovary glabrous; stigma 3-lobed.

Fruits:

Capsule ± globose, 1–1.3 cm in diam.

Seeds:

Seeds ca. 5 mm.

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:

Native of South America, now circumtropical as a cultivated and naturalized plant; China (Guangdong, Nanhai Zhudao, Taiwan), Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Guinea, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka; Pacific Islands.

Australia (Western Australia; Queensland; New South Wales; Victoria)

Ecology:

Often
in coastal habitats or moist forests, weedy; 0–500 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:

bian se qian niu (Chinese).

General comments:

Fosberg (Bot. Not. 129: 35–38. 1976) has sorted out the complicated nomenclature for this pantropical species and established that Ipomoea indica is the correct name for it.