Ipomoea indica

Ipomoea indica
Blue morning glory
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Solanales
Family: Convolvulaceae
Genus: Ipomoea
Species: I. indica
(Burm.f.) Merr.
Binomial name
Ipomoea indica
Synonyms
  • Ipomoea acuminata (Vahl) Roem. & Schult.[1]
  • Ipomoea cathartica Poir.
  • Ipomoea congesta R.Br.
  • Ipomoea indica var. acuminata (Vahl) Fosberg
  • Ipomoea learii Lindl.[2]
  • Ipomoea mutablilis Lindl.
  • Pharbitis cathartica (Poir.) Choisy

Ipomoea indica[3] is a species of flowering plant in the family Convolvulaceae, known by several common names, including blue morning glory, oceanblue morning glory, koali awa, and blue dawn flower.

Description

Ipomoea indica is a vigorous tender perennial vine native to tropical habitats throughout the world. It bears heart-shaped or 3-lobed leaves and rich purple funnel-shaped flowers 6–8 cm (2–3 in) in diameter, from spring to autumn. As it does not tolerate temperatures below 7 °C (45 °F), in temperate regions it is grown under glass.[4]

The Latin specific epithet indica means from India, or the East Indies or China.[5]

This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[6]

Cultivated I. indica at the BBC Gardeners' World show in June 2011, note the tendrils around the black metal support.

Invasive species

It has become a noxious weed and invasive species in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, California and Portugal.[7] It can grow as a separate plant if snapped during attempted removal process.

In New Zealand, it is classed as an unwanted organism under the Biosecurity Act 1993 and it is therefore illegal to sell, propagate and distribute the plant.[8] It is listed on the National Pest Plant Accord.

See also

References

  1. ↑ USDA Plants Profile
  2. ↑ Aluka Species Profile
  3. ↑ "Ipomoea indica". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
  4. ↑ RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 1405332964.
  5. ↑ Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. p. 224. ISBN 9781845337315.
  6. ↑ "RHS Plant Selector - Ipomoea indica". Retrieved 23 June 2013.
  7. ↑ Plantas invasoras em Portugal (2013). Ipomoea indica. Available in http://invasoras.uc.pt/gallery/ipomoea-indica/. Accessed on 28 July 2013.
  8. ↑ Blue morning glory "Blue morning glory". Biosecurity New Zealand. 20 March 2009. Retrieved 31 July 2010.

External links

Media related to Ipomoea indica at Wikimedia Commons