picotee morning glory

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Morning Glory
• Japanese Morning Glory
• Japanese morning-glory
• blue morning-glory
• ivy morning-glory
• white-edge morning-glory
• Annua morning glory
• Ivy Morning Glory

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Convolvulus peruvianus
• Ipomoea nil var. inaequalis
• Pharbitis dillenii
• Pharbitis nil
• Pharbitis forskoelii
• Ipomoea hederacea var. inaequalis
• Pharbitis nil var. integrifolia
• Pharbitis caerulescens
• Pharbitis albomarginata
• Ipomoea githaginea var. inaequalis
• Ipomoea nil var. himalaica
• Ipomoea githaginea
• Ipomoea caerulescens
• Ipomoea hederacea var. himalaica
• Ipomoea dillenii
• Pharbitis caerulea
• Ipomoea hederacea var. limbata
• Ipomoea nil var. setosa
• Ipomoea hederacea var. paichou
• Ipomoea cuspidata
• Pharbitis limbata
• Pharbitis cuspidata
• Ipomoea vaniotiana
• Ipomoea longicuspis var. brevipes
• Ipomoea nil var. limbata
• Pharbitis nil var. limbata
• Pharbitis nil var. japonica
• Pharbitis nil var. abbreviata
• Ipomoea nil var. japonica
• Convolvulus nil
• Pharbitis scabra
• Convolvulus coelestis
• Pharbitis speciosa
• Convolvulus caeruleus
• Pharbitis purshii
• Convolvulus dillenii
• Convolvulus lindleyi
• Convolvulus variifolius
• Convolvulus scaber

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Ipomoea nil, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Solanales and the family Convolvulaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Ipomoea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning across two distinct continents. In Southeastern Europe, its presence is specifically noted within the country of Greece. The species also extends into West Tropical Africa, where it can be found in Burkina. Furthermore, it inhabits several other West African nations, including Ghana and Guinea. Finally, the distribution continues through the Ivory Coast, marking its reach across the western tropical belt.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Ipomoea nil is characterized by its broad adaptability across diverse landscapes, ranging from sea level up to an elevation of 2560 m AMSL. This species thrives in a wide variety of environmental settings, demonstrating high ecological plasticity by colonizing both natural and human-altered environments. Its habitat preferences include anthropogenic areas (Área Antrópica) and several distinct Brazilian biomes and forest types, such as the Caatinga (strict sensu), Campo Limpo, and Cerrado (latu sensu). Furthermore, it is frequently found within various forest ecosystems, including Floresta Estacional Perenifólia, Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, Floresta Ombrófila (also known as Floresta Pluvial), and Floresta Ombrófila Mista, indicating its ability to occupy niches with varying moisture levels and vegetation structures.

Elevational range max:

2560 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica, Caatinga (stricto sensu), Campo Limpo, Cerrado (lato sensu), Floresta Estacional Perenifólia, Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, Floresta Ombrófila (= Floresta Pluvial), Floresta Ombrófila Mista

Life history

The life history of Ipomoea nil is characterized by its classification as an annual species, meaning it completes its entire developmental cycle—from germination to seed production—within a single growing season. As a therophyte, it survives the unfavorable periods through the production of seeds rather than maintaining persistent vegetative structures above ground. This life form is further defined by its status as a therophyte, indicating that its perennating organs are contained within seeds, allowing it to rapidly colonize available spaces once favorable environmental conditions permit growth.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Ipomoea nil is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically classified as a forb. It functions as an obligatory vine, utilizing a climbing habit to ascend various supports. As a terrestrial plant, it is neither aquatic nor an epiphyte, growing independently as a non-parasitic organism. The plant exhibits significant variability in its physical dimensions, with a height that ranges from a minimum of 1 meter to a maximum of 10 meters, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 5 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

vine

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

10 m

Plant height mean:

5 m

Plant height min:

1 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Ipomoea nil is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, meaning it utilizes the Calvin cycle to fix carbon dioxide directly through the enzyme RuBisCO without the specialized adaptations found in C4 or CAM plants. This metabolic strategy dictates its reliance on specific environmental conditions, such as moderate temperatures and sufficient moisture, to maintain efficient gas exchange and carbon assimilation. Furthermore, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer; it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria (such as Rhizobium) necessary to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms, and therefore relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil through its root system to satisfy its nutritional requirements.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Ipomoea nil is characterized by the production of specialized seeds and fruit structures that exhibit specific morphological consistencies. The plant produces fruit characterized by a dry texture, distinguishing it from fleshy varieties. The seeds produced during this process are highly uniform in size, maintaining a consistent seed volume of exactly 36 mm³, with both the minimum and maximum recorded volumes reaching this same value. In terms of mass, the seeds display a slight degree of variability; while the mean seed mass is approximately 0.040365 g, individual seeds range from a minimum mass of 0.0352 g to a maximum mass of 0.04553 g.

Fruit dryness :

dry

Seed mass max:

0.04553 g

Seed mass mean:

0.040365 g

Seed mass min:

0.0352 g

Seed volume max:

36 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Ipomoea nil has 2 reported plant parts identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include seed, root.

Seed

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Carbohydrate polymers
3. Journal of natural products

Root

1. Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry

Chemicals

Ipomoea nil has 15 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 2-Bromohexadecanoic acid, 2-METHYLBUTYRIC ACID, 3,7-dihydroxyflavone, ANTHOCYANIN, Aesculetin.

2-Bromohexadecanoic acid

1. International journal of molecular sciences

2-METHYLBUTYRIC ACID

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

3,7-dihydroxyflavone

1. Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry

ANTHOCYANIN

1. Genes & genetic systems

Aesculetin

1. Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry

Tyrosinase

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Umbelliferone

1. Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry

pharboside A

1. Journal of natural products

pharboside B

1. Journal of natural products

pharboside C

1. Journal of natural products

Activities

Ipomoea nil has 2 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anthelmintic, Antifibrotic.

Anthelmintic

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Antifibrotic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Ipomoea nil has 9 reported preparations identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Ethanol extract, Extracts, PNE, Pharbitis Semen, crude ether-insoluble resin glycoside (convolvulin).

Ethanol extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Pne

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Pharbitis semen

1. Journal of natural products

Crude ether-insoluble resin glycoside (convolvulin)

1. Journal of natural products

Crude resin glycoside (pharbitin)

1. Journal of natural products

Ethanol extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Ethanolic extract of the seeds of pharbitis nil

1. Journal of natural products

Hairy roots

1. Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry