Ipomoea pes-caprae (L.) R. Br.
Family
Convolvulaceae
Synonyms
Convolvulus pes-caprae L., Ipomoea biloba Forsk., Ipomoea maritima (Desr.) R. Br.
Vernacular Names
| English | Beach morning glory, horse’s footprint, goat’s foot creeper. |
| American | Bay-hops. |
| Indonesia | Daun katang, tapak kuda (general), katang-katang (Bali). |
| Myanmar |
Pinlaikazum. |
| Cambodia | Trakuon kantek, pak bung tale. |
| Thailand |
Phakbung-thale (central). |
| Vietnam |
Rau mu[oos]ng bi[eer]n. |
Geographical Distributions
Ipomoea pes-caprae is one of the most common beach plants throughout the tropics, including Southeast Asia.
Description
Ipomoea pes-caprae is a perennial and hairless vine with thick taproot. The stem is prostrate but sometimes twining, measures about 5-30 m long and often roots at the nodes.
The leaves are often pointing only to one side. The petiole is up to 17 cm long. The blade is variable, ovate, elliptical, circular, kidney-shaped, nearly square or oblong, measuring 3.5-10 cm x 3-10 cm, rather thick and with 2 abaxial glands at the base of midrib. The base is broadly wedge-shaped, truncate, or shallowly cordate, with entire margin, emarginate at apex or deeply 2-lobed and mucronulate.
The inflorescence is 1-several-flowered. The peduncle is 3-16 cm long and stout. The bracts are early caducous, broadly triangular and measure 3-3.5 mm long. The pedicel is 1-7 cm long. The sepals are unequal, somewhat leathery, hairless, obtuse at apex, and mucronulate, where the 2 outer ones are ovate-elliptical, measure 5-9 mm long, while the 3 inner ones are nearly circular and concave and measure 7-13 mm long. The petal is funnel-shaped, measures 3-6.5 cm long, purple to reddish-purple and with inside darker at the centre. The filaments are 7-12 mm long and hairy at the base.
The capsule is globular, measures 1-1.7 cm in diametre, smooth and leathery. The 4 seeds are trigonous-spherical, measure 6-10 mm long, black and densely brownish hairy.
Ecology / Cultivation
Ipomoea pes-caprae occurs inland, along roadsides and ditches, up to 800 m altitude. Although this species grows on the beach, it depends on ground water with a lower salt content than sea water. It is tolerant of high temperature, periodic drought, sea water spray, high soil pH and low soil nitrogen content.
Line Drawing / Photograph
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References
- Plant Resources of South-East Asia No.11: Auxiliary plants.
