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. nil (L.) Roth

IVY MORNING-GLORY

Annual
Leaf simple; blade 3–8 cm, ± deeply 3-lobed, sparsely strigose
Inflorescence: peduncles 1–3-flowered
Flower: sepals generally 16–20 mm, abruptly narrowed to long, linear tip, hairs near base generally > 2 mm; corolla 2–4 cm, light blue, purple, or multi-colored, margin sometimes fringed or 5-lobed
Chromosomes: 2n=30
Ecology: Fields, orchards, disturbed places
Elevation: 250 m.
Bioregional distribution: s California Floristic Province
Distribution outside California: native to se US
cultivated as ornamental.[not I. hederacea Jacq.]