Higher-Level Taxonomy & Evolution Codexery

Ipomoea

Largest genus in Convolvulaceae, with diverse species and uses.

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Ipomoea is the largest genus in the plant family Convolvulaceae, with over 600 species.[1] The genus occurs throughout tropical and subtropical regions worldwide and includes annual and perennial herbs, lianas, shrubs, and small trees.[2] Most Ipomoea species are twining climbing plants.[2]

Scientific classification

  1. CladeTracheophytes
  2. Clade
  3. Clade
  4. CladeAsterids
  5. OrderSolanales
  6. FamilyConvolvulaceae
  7. GenusIpomoea

Named by L.

Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Ipomoea (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Quick Facts

Type species
Ipomoea pes-tigridis L.

Facts from the source article.

Key facts and history

Carl Linnaeus described the genus Ipomoea in 1753.[3] The genus has 642 accepted species, with Ipomoea pes-tigridis as the type species.[3] Stems are usually decumbent, erect, trailing, or twining, and may be glabrous or hairy.[4] Flowers are pentamerous and can be blue, red, pink, purple, white, orange, or yellow.[5]

The most widespread common name is morning glory, though some species are called moonflowers.[6] Corolla shapes are usually funnelform, sometimes campanulate or salverform, with lengths ranging from 6 mm to over 150 mm.[4] People eat the leaves of Ipomoea batatas as a vegetable, and research has demonstrated that these leaves slow the oxygenation of LDLs.[7]

What the research sources say

The Flora of North America reports that Ipomoea flowers have sepals elliptic to suborbiculate, 3–30 mm, and corollas usually blue, lavender, pink, purple, red, violet, or white.[4] The same source notes that anthers are straight after dehiscence, pollen is pantoporate and echinate, and styles are single.[4] The Flora of China describes Ipomoea batatas as having subterranean tubers and stems mostly prostrate, rarely twining, rooting at nodes.[8] The Pflanzenkunst account states that some Ipomoea species open in the middle of the night and are called moonflowers.[9]

The same source notes that Aztecs used Ipomoea tricolor seeds as an entheogen and also as a poison to give victims a "horror trip".[9] Pflanzenkunst also reports that ancient Mesoamerican civilizations used Ipomoea alba to convert latex from Castilla elastica into bouncing rubber balls.[9]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Ipomoea" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Sunset Western Garden Book", Sunset Publishing Corporation, 1995, p. 606–07 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Ipomoea" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Gunn, "moonflower", Brittonia, 1972, p. 150–168 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Ipomoea" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Caroli Linnaei ... Species plantarum :exhibentes plantas rite cognitas, ad genera relatas, cum differentiis specificis, nominibus trivialibus, synonymis selectis, locis natalibus, secundum systema sexuale digestas...", ; "Ipomoea L.", Plants of the World Online, 2017; "Ipomoea L.", Plants of the World Online, 2017; Ipomoea L. (n.d.). International Plant Names Index. Retrieved March 21, 2026, from https://www.ipni.org/n/325789-2; Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.). Ipomoea L. Tropicos. Retrieved March 21, 2026, from https://www.tropicos.org/name en.wikipedia.org
  4. Ipomoea in Flora of North America @ efloras.org. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21, 2026, from http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=116482. facts only, no text reused. efloras.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Ipomoea" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Western Australian Herbarium & Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. (n.d.). Ipomoea L. Florabase—the Western Australian Flora. Retrieved Ma; Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. (n.d.). Ipomoea. VicFlora Flora of Victoria. Retrieved March 21, 2026, from https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/flora/taxon/aeb2e53b; Ipomoea in Flora of China @ efloras.org. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21, 2026, from http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=116482; Ipomoea in Flora of North America @ efloras.org. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21, 20 en.wikipedia.org
  6. Wikipedia, "Ipomoea" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Gunn, "Calonyction", Brittonia, 1972, p. 150–168; Gunn, "moonflower", Brittonia, 1972, p. 150–168 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  7. Wikipedia, "Ipomoea" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Nagai, "Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) leaves suppressed oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) in vitro and in human subjects", J Clin Biochem Nutr, 2011, p. 203–8 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  8. Ipomoea in Flora of China @ efloras.org. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21, 2026, from http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=116482. facts only, no text reused. efloras.org
  9. "Morning Glory", Pflanzenkunst, 2016-04-06. facts only, no text reused. pflanzenkunst.wordpress.com

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Ipomoea (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

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Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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