Ipomoea alba

Last updated

Ipomoea alba
Ipomoea alba270483816.jpg
Status TNC G4.svg
Apparently Secure  (NatureServe) [2]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Solanales
Family: Convolvulaceae
Genus: Ipomoea
Species:
I. alba
Binomial name
Ipomoea alba
L.

Ipomoea alba, is known in English as tropical white morning-glory, moonflower or moonvine, is a species of night-blooming morning glory, native to tropical and subtropical regions of North and South America, from Argentina to northern Mexico, Arizona, Florida [3] and the West Indies. [4] Though formerly classified as genus Calonyction, species aculeatum, it is now properly assigned to genus Ipomoea , subgenus Quamoclit, section Calonyction. [5]

Contents

Description

Ipomoea alba is a perennial, herbaceous liana growing to a height of 5–30 m (16–98 ft) tall with twining stems. The leaves are entire or three-lobed, 5–15 cm (2.0–5.9 in) long, with a 5–20 cm (2.0–7.9 in) long stem. The flowers are fragrant, white or pink, and large, 8–14 cm (3.1–5.5 in) diameter. The flowers open quickly in the evening and last through the night, remaining open until touched by the morning dew. On overcast days, the blossoms may remain open for longer. The flowers also tend to remain open longer during cool temperatures, which may also cause the segments to snag or tear as they open.

The seeds are yellowish light brown to nearly black in color and nearly round, 10–12 millimeters long and 8–9 millimeters wide. The seeds are quite buoyant. In an experiment they floated in water for a year and a half. [6]

Names

Ipomoea alba is known by a variety of common names. Many of them allude to its night blooming white flowers including "moonflower", [7] "moonvine", [8] "white moonflower", [6] and "tropical white morning glory". [9] Though moonflower is most often used with Ipomoea alba specifically, [10] it is used for other plants including those formerly placed in Calonyction and now in genus Ipomoea, [10] Ipomoea muricata , [11] Datura candida , [12] Brugmansia suaveolens , [13] and Selenicereus wittii . [14] The similar "moon-flower" was used in the 1800s as a name for Anemonoides altaica, Leucanthemum vulgare , and Rabelera holostea . [15]

Historical use

Ipomoea alba - MHNT Ipomoea alba MHNT.BOT.2016.24.51.jpg
Ipomoea albaMHNT

The Mesoamerican civilizations used the Ipomoea alba morning glory to convert the latex from the Castilla elastica tree to produce bouncing rubber balls. The sulfur in this morning glory served to cross-link the rubber, a process predating Charles Goodyear's discovery of vulcanization by at least 3,000 years. [16]

Cultivation

The species is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant for its flowers. In areas too cold for winter survival, it can be grown as an annual plant. Since it is of tropical origin, it flowers best under a summer short day photoperiod. Though it can be successfully flowered in the north, its flowering is impaired by excessively long summer days. Thus, it often does not set buds and bloom until early autumn when daylight length is once again near 12 hours. Propagation is usually by seed. The seed resembles a small, brownish nut, and should be nicked with a file and then soaked overnight before planting. In some areas, it is an invasive species which can cause problems in agricultural settings.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morning glory</span> Common name for more than 1,000 species of flowering plants in the family Convolvulaceae

Morning glory is the common name for over 1,000 species of flowering plants in the family Convolvulaceae, whose current taxonomy and systematics are in flux. Morning glory species belong to many genera, some of which are:

<i>Ipomoea</i> Genus of flowering plants

Ipomoea is the largest genus in the plant family Convolvulaceae, with over 600 species. It is a large and diverse group, with common names including morning glory, water convolvulus or water spinach, sweet potato, bindweed, moonflower, etc. The genus occurs throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, and comprises annual and perennial herbaceous plants, lianas, shrubs, and small trees; most of the species are twining climbing plants.

<i>Ipomoea tricolor</i> Species of plant

Ipomoea tricolor, the Mexican morning glory or just morning glory, is a species of flowering plant in the family Convolvulaceae, native to the tropics of the Americas, and widely cultivated and naturalised elsewhere.

Moonflower may refer to:

<i>Calystegia sepium</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Convolvulaceae

Calystegia sepium is a species of flowering plant in the family Convolvulaceae. It has a subcosmopolitan distribution throughout temperate regions of the North and South hemispheres.

<i>Ipomoea purpurea</i> Species of plant

Ipomoea purpurea, the common morning-glory, tall morning-glory, or purple morning glory, is a species in the genus Ipomoea, native to Mexico and Central America.

<i>Ipomoea quamoclit</i> Species of plant in the family Convolvulaceae

Ipomoea quamoclit, commonly known as cypress vine, cypress vine morning glory, cardinal creeper, cardinal vine, star glory, star of Bethlehem or hummingbird vine, is a species of vine in the family Convolvulaceae native to tropical regions of the Americas and naturalized elsewhere in the tropics.

<i>Ipomoea violacea</i> Species of flowering plant

Ipomoea violacea is a perennial species of Ipomoea that occurs throughout the world with the exception of the European continent. It is most commonly called beach moonflower or sea moonflower as the flowers open at night.

<i>Ipomoea pes-caprae</i> Species of flowering plant

Ipomoea pes-caprae, also known as bayhops, bay-hops, beach morning glory, railroad vine, or goat's foot, is a common pantropical creeping vine belonging to the family Convolvulaceae. It grows on the upper parts of beaches and endures salted air. It is one of the most common and most widely distributed salt tolerant plants and provides one of the best known examples of oceanic dispersal. Its seeds float and are unaffected by salt water.

<i>Ipomoea cairica</i> Species of vine

Ipomoea cairica is a vining, herbaceous, perennial plant with palmate leaves and large, showy white to lavender flowers. A species of morning glory, it has many common names, including mile-a-minute vine, Messina creeper, Cairo morning glory, coast morning glory and railroad creeper. The species name cairica translates to "from Cairo", the city where this species was first collected.

<i>Ipomoea indica</i> Species of flowering plant

Ipomoea indica 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. It bears heart-shaped or three-lobed leaves and purple or blue funnel-shaped flowers 6–8 cm (2–3 in) in diameter, from spring to autumn. The flowers produced by the plant are hermaphroditic. This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

<i>Ipomoea hederacea</i> Species of flowering plant

Ipomoea hederacea, the ivy-leaved morning glory or Kaladana, is a flowering plant in the bindweed family. The species is native to tropical parts of the Americas, and has more recently been introduced to North America. It now occurs there from Arizona to Florida and north to Ontario and North Dakota. Like most members of the family, it is a climbing vine with alternate leaves on twining stems. The flowers are blue to rose-purple with a white inner throat and emerge in summer and continue until late fall. The leaves are typically three-lobed, but sometimes may be five-lobed or entire. Flowers occur in clusters of one to three and are 2.5–4.5 cm long and wide. The sepals taper to long, recurved tips and measure 12–24 mm long. The species shares some features with the close relative Ipomoea purpurea, and is almost identical in appearance to wild forms of I. nil.

<i>Ipomoea nil</i> Species of vine

Ipomoea nil is a species of Ipomoea morning glory known by several common names, including picotee morning glory, ivy morning glory, ivy-leaf morning glory, and Japanese morning glory. It is native to the tropical Americas, and has been introduced widely across the world.

The Ipomoea obscura, commonly known as the obscure morning glory or the small white morning glory, is a species of the genus Ipomoea. It is an invasive species native to parts of Africa, Asia, and certain Pacific Islands. While the plant's seeds are toxic, the leaves can be used for many different medicinal purposes.

<i>Ipomoea leptophylla</i> Species of flowering plant

Ipomoea leptophylla, the bush morning glory, bush moonflower or manroot, is a species of flowering plant in the bindweed family, Convolvulaceae.

<i>Ipomoea coccinea</i> Species of flowering plant

Ipomoea coccinea is a flowering plant in the family Convolvulaceae known by several common names including red morning glory, redstar and (ambiguously) Mexican morning glory.

<i>Ipomoea lacunosa</i> Species of flowering plant

Ipomoea lacunosa, the whitestar, white morning-glory or pitted morning-glory, is a species that belongs to the genus Ipomoea. In this genus most members are commonly referred to as "morning glories". The name for the genus, Ipomoea, has root in the Greek words ips and homoios, which translates to worm-like. This is a reference to the plant's vine-like growth. Lacunosa comes from a Latin word meaning air spaces, correlating with the venation of the leaves. Ipomoea lacunosa is native to the United States and grows annually. The flowers of this species are usually white and smaller than most other morning glories.

<i>Ipomoea arborescens</i> Species of tree

Ipomoea arborescens, the tree morning glory, is a rapidly-growing, semi-succulent flowering tree in the family Convolvulaceae. This tropical plant is mostly found in Mexico, and flowers in late autumn and winter. Its common name in Nahuatl is Cazahuatl or Cazahuate.

<i>Ipomoea oenotherae</i> Species of flowering plant

Ipomoea oenotherae is a species of plant of the morning glory genus, Ipomoea, in the family Convolvulaceae. It derives its name from the resemblance it bears to plants in the genus Oenothera. Ipomoea oenotherae is a succulent and a cryptophyte.

<i>Ipomoea macrorhiza</i> Species of morning glory

Ipomea macrorhiza is an extremely rare species of tuberous, night-blooming morning glory native to the Southeastern United States.

References

  1. Canteiro, C. (2021). "Ipomoea alba". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021: e.T126421388A158506713. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T126421388A158506713.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. NatureServe (2024). "Ipomoea alba". Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  3. And Bly USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Ipomoea alba". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  4. Liogier, A.H.; Liogier, H.A.; Martorell, L.F. (2000). Flora of Puerto Rico and Adjacent Islands: A Systematic Synopsis. Ed. de la Universidad. p. 163. ISBN   978-0-8477-0369-2. Archived from the original on 28 July 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  5. "Ipomoea alba". Germplasm Resources Information Network . Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture . Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  6. 1 2 Gunn, Charles R.; Dennis, John V. (1976). World Guide to Tropical Drift Seeds and Fruits. New York: Quadrangle / New York Times Book Co. p. 92. ISBN   978-0-8129-0616-5 . Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  7. "Ipomoea alba". Plant Finder. Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  8. Gartin, P. J.; Smith, F. Brian (2004). Some Like It Hot : plants that thrive in hot and humid weather. Charleston, South Carolina: Wyrick & Co. p. 41. ISBN   978-0-941711-74-6 . Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  9. "Ipomoea alba (Moonflower, Moonvine, Tropical White Morning Glory)". North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. North Carolina State University. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  10. 1 2 Bridgwater, William; Sherwood, Elizabeth J., eds. (1950). The Columbia Encyclopedia (In One Volume) (2nd ed.). New York: Columbia University. p. 1318. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  11. Harper-Lore, Bonnie L.; Johnson, Maggie; Skinner, Mark W. (2007). Roadside Weed Management. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. p. 96. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  12. Quattrocchi, Umberto (2012). CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. p. 1334. ISBN   978-1-4822-5064-0 . Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  13. Karmali, John (1988). The Beautiful Plants of Kenya. Nairobi, Kenya: Westlands Sundries. p. 61. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  14. Mabey, Richard (2016). The Cabaret of Plants : Forty Thousand Years of Plant Life and the Human Imagination. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. p. 311. ISBN   978-0-393-23997-3.
  15. Britten, James; Holland, Robert (1886). A Dictionary of English Plant-names. London: Trübner & Co. p. 339. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  16. "Rubber processed in ancient Mesoamerica, MIT researchers find". MIT News. Archived from the original on 2005-04-25. Retrieved 2017-12-08.