Ipomoea mauritiana

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Ipomoea mauritiana
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Subclass: Asteridae (unranked) Euasterids I Order: Solanales Family: Convolvulaceae Genus: Ipomoea Species: I. mauritiana
Binomial name
Ipomoea mauritiana Jacq.
Synonyms
Convolvulus paniculatus Ipomoea digitata Ipomoea eriosperma Ipomoea paniculata

The giant potato (Ipomoea mauritiana) is a type of morning glory plant. Like the sweet potato, it belongs to the Ipomoea genus. It grows as a vine.

Its origins are uncertain, but it has been recorded in West Africa including in Gambia[1] and riparian forests of Benin[2], as well as Australia's Northern Territory. It is naturalised in many parts of the world including Taiwan[3] and Hawaii (where it is called Likam^{[verification needed]}).

There have been specimens collected or observations from: Australia; Belize; Benin; Brunei; Cambodia; Cameroon; China; Colombia; DRC; Costa Rica; Côte d'Ivoire; Ecuador; Equatorial Guinea; Gabon; Ghana; Guinea; Honduras; Indonesia; Laos; Liberia; Madagascar; Mauritius; Micronesia, Federated States of; Myanmar; New Caledonia; Nicaragua; Nigeria; Panama; Papua New Guinea; Peru; Senegal; Sudan; Tanzania; Thailand; Togo; Venezuela.[4]

[edit] External links and references

• Ipomoea mauritiana, USDA plant database.
• Ipomoea mauritiana, gardentia.net
• Burmese Indigenous Medicinal Plants (also lists further synonyms)