wild morning glory

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Turbina oblongata
• Ipomoea oblongata var. hirsuta
• Ipomoea lambtoniana
• Ipomoea atherstonei
• Ipomoea seineri
• Ipomoea randii
• Convolvulus oblongatus

Sources: Wikidata

Taxonomical Classification

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

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range spanning across several regions of the African continent. In Northeast Tropical Africa, it can be found growing within the borders of Ethiopia. Its distribution continues into South Tropical Africa, where it is present in both Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Moving further south, the species is also recorded in Botswana. Finally, the plant reaches its southern limits within the Cape Provinces.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Ipomoea oblongata is characterized by its ability to inhabit diverse topographical gradients, thriving within a significant altitudinal span. This species is documented to occur across a broad vertical distribution, ranging from lower elevations starting at 245 m AMSL to much higher montane environments reaching a maximum of 2045 m AMSL. This wide elevational range suggests a high degree of ecological plasticity, allowing the plant to adapt to varying temperature regimes, atmospheric pressures, and moisture levels associated with different mountain strata. Such adaptability enables it to occupy various niches within its native landscape, from warmer lowland habitats to cooler, more temperate high-altitude zones.

Elevational range max:

2045 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

245 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Ipomoea oblongata is characterized by its status as a perennial species, though its growth patterns can exhibit variability depending on environmental conditions and resource availability. As a perennial, the plant maintains a continuous presence in its habitat, often utilizing a persistent root system to survive through multiple growing seasons. This life cycle allows the plant to establish a stable presence in its ecological niche, transitioning through various developmental stages from germination to maturity and subsequent reproductive phases over several years. While its primary classification is perennial, the plant's longevity and reproductive output may fluctuate, reflecting a life history strategy designed for long-term persistence and adaptation to its specific environmental stressors.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Ipomoea oblongata is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically functioning as a forb. The plant exhibits a climbing habit, acting as a self-supporting vine or liana that can navigate various structures. In terms of its ecological positioning and habitat, it is primarily a terrestrial species rather than an aquatic or semiaquatic one, and it does not function as an epiphyte. Furthermore, it is an independent organism, lacking any parasitic relationship with host plants.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Ipomoea oblongata is fundamentally characterized by its utilization of the C3 photosynthetic pathway, a metabolic strategy where the first stable product of carbon fixation is a three-carbon molecule. This process involves the direct fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide by the enzyme RuBisCO within the mesophyll cells during the Calvin cycle. As a C3 plant, its physiological efficiency and gas exchange mechanisms are closely tied to environmental variables such as light intensity, temperature, and water availability, which influence the rate of carboxylation and the potential for photorespiration. This metabolic framework governs the plant's energy acquisition, carbon sequestration, and overall growth patterns, dictating its adaptive responses to its specific ecological niche.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

Reproduction in Ipomoea oblongata is characterized by the production of seeds that exhibit a highly uniform physical profile. The seed mass within this species is remarkably consistent, showing no variance across observed samples. Specifically, the seed mass maintains a constant value with a mean, maximum, and minimum of 0.10173 g. This lack of deviation in seed mass suggests a highly stabilized reproductive mechanism regarding the energetic investment per individual seed, ensuring that each unit produced for dispersal and subsequent germination carries an identical weight of 0.10173 g.

Seed mass mean:

0.10173 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Activities

Ipomoea oblongata has 1 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Cardioprotective.

Cardioprotective

1. Frontiers in pharmacology