CONVOLVULACEAE

MORNING-GLORY FAMILY

Lauramay T. Dempster (except Calystegia)

Perennial (annual), generally twining or trailing
Leaves alternate
Inflorescence: cyme or flowers solitary in axils; pedicels often with 2 bracts
Flower bisexual, radial; sepals 5, ± free, overlapping, persistent, often unequal; corolla generally showy, generally bell-shaped, ± shallowly 5-lobed, generally pleated and twisted in bud; stamens 5, epipetalous; pistil 1, ovary superior, chambers generally 2, ovules generally 2 per chamber, styles 1–2
Fruit: generally capsule
Seeds 1–4(6)
Genera in family: 50 genera, 1,000 species: warm temp to tropical; some cultivated as ornamental
Recent taxonomic note: Recently treated to include Cuscutaceae [Angiosperm Phylogeny Group 1998 Ann Missouri Bot Gard 85:531–553].
(Family description, key to genera by L.T. Dempster)

IPOMOEA

MORNING-GLORY

Annual, perennial herb from rhizome or caudex
Stem trailing to high-climbing
Leaf petioled; blade cordate, sometimes lobed
Inflorescence: bracts 0
Flower: corolla generally ± funnel-shaped, not or barely lobed; style 1, stigma head-like or of 2–3 spheric lobes
Fruit spheric; valves 2–4
Etymology: (Greek: worm-like)
Species in genus: 500 species: tropical and warm temp; some cultivated as ornamental or for food (I. batatas, sweet-potato).

Introduced

I. purpurea (L.) Roth

COMMON MORNING-GLORY

Annual
Leaf simple; blade 7–12 cm, cordate, short-acuminate, entire, hairy
Inflorescence: peduncles 1–5-flowered
Flower: sepals 12–16 mm, lanceolate-oblong, acute, hairy; corolla 5–6 cm, purple, blue, pink or white
Chromosomes: 2n=30
Ecology: Disturbed or waste places, fields, orchards
Elevation: 15–100 m.
Bioregional distribution: Sierra Nevada Foothills, Great Central Valley, Central Western California, Southwestern California
Distribution outside California: native to tropical America
cultivated as ornamental.