Evolvulus alsinoides (L.) L.
Family
Convolvulaceae
Synonyms
Convolvulus alsinoides L.
Vernacular Names
|
Thailand |
Bai to kaan (North-eastern). |
|
Vietnam |
B[aas]t giao. |
Geographical Distributions
Evolvulus alsinoides occurs in most dry tropical and subtropical regions of the world.
Description
Evolvulus alsinoides is a very variable, perennial herb or subshrub. The stems are slender, reclining and spreading, or erect, 12-70 cm long, not twining, more or less branched and deep-rooted.
The leaves are arranged alternate, entire, widely spaced, oblong to elliptical or lance-shaped, measure 1-4 cm x 0.2-1 cm, wedge-shaped at base, acute or mucronate at apex and densely or sparsely white hairy.
The petiole and stipules are absent.The inflorescence is an axillary, 1-3 flowered cyme, with slender peduncle, 2.5-3.5 cm long, pedicel up to 1 cm long and often with 2-4 awl-shaped bracts at the base. The flower is 5-merous, actinomorphic, with 5-partite small sepal, 3 mm long, villose and not enlarged in fruit. The petal is bell-shaped to rotate, 4-8(-12) mm wide, and pale blue but sometimes white. There are 5 stamens, which are included or exserted. The filaments are united into the petal tube. The ovary is 2-celled, with 2 styles where each is with 2-lobed stigma.
The fruit is a rounded capsule, 3-4 mm long, mostly 4-valved, smooth and partly enclosed in the sepal. There are (1-)4 seeds which are smooth and black. The seedling is with epigeal germination while the cotyledons are deeply notched at the extremity.
Ecology / Cultivation
Evolvulus alsinoides is a weed of sandy, open, dry grasslands and rock localities, in most of the tropics and subtropics, often on limestone, at low and medium altitudes. It is locally abundant.
Line Drawing / Photograph
Read More
2) Ayuverda
References
1. Plant Resources of South-East Asia No.12(2): Medicinal and poisonous plants 2.
