Nomenclature
Accepted name/Authority/Place of publication:
Ipomoea purpurea (L.) Roth, Bot. Abh. 27. 1787.
Synonyms:
Convolvulus purpureus L., Sp. Pl. ed. 2. 1: 219. 1762
Ipomoea chanetii H. Lévl.
I. hispida Zuccarini
Pharbitis hispida Choisy
P. purpurea (L.) Voigt
Description
Habit:
Herbs annual, twining; axial parts short pubescent and long retrorse hirsute. Stems 2–3 m.
Leaves:
Petiole 2–12 cm; leaf blade circular-ovate or broadly ovate, 4–18 × 3.5–16.5 cm, ± strigose, base cordate, margin entire or ± 3-lobed, apex acute or ± abruptly acuminate.
Inflorescences:
Inflorescences 1–5-flowered; peduncle 4–12 cm; bracts linear, 6–7 mm, spreading hirsute. Pedicel recurved before and after anthesis, 1.2–1.5 cm.
Flowers:
Sepals nearly equal, 1.1–1.6 cm, spreading hirsute abaxially in basal 1/2; outer 3 sepals oblong, apex acuminate; inner 2 sepals linear-lanceolate. Corolla red, reddish purple, or blue-purple, with a fading to white center, funnelform, 4–6 cm, glabrous. Stamens included, unequal; filaments pubescent basally. Pistil included; ovary glabrous, 3-loculed; stigma 3-lobed.
Fruits:
Capsule nearly globose, 9–10 mm in diam., 3-valved.
Seeds:
Seeds black or straw-colored, ovoid-trigonous, glabrous or hilum sparsely pilose.
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
32
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 throughout the American tropics; cultivated and naturalized world-wide. China (most provinces), Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka.
Ecology:
Waysides,
hedges, fields; 0–2800 m, cultivated or escaped.
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:
yuan ye qian niu (Chinese).
The seeds have a number of medicinal uses.
Authorship for webpage
Editor:
George Staples, Esmond Er
Contributors:
Classification:
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