Home | > | List of families | > | Convolvulaceae | > | Ipomoea | > | mauritiana |
Synonyms: |
Ipomoea digitata sensu Baker & Rendle |
Common names: | Giant potato (English) Large forest ipomoea (English) Natal cotton plant (English) |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Robust perennial climber, growing from large tuberous roots. Stems twining rarely prostrate, becoming woody. Leaves almost circular in outline, usually palmately 3-9-lobed, sometimes entire, up to 20 × 15 cm; lobes lanceolate to ovate, acuminate; petiole 3-11 cm long. Inflorescences axillary, few to many-flowered; peduncle up to 18 cm long. Calyx markedly convex, 6-11 mm long, clasping the corolla tube. Corolla funnel-shaped but more or less distinctly 5-lobed, 6-9 cm in diameter, reddish-purple or pinkish-mauve with a darker centre. Capsule ovoid-spherical, hairless, Seeds covered in silky hairs c. 7 mm long. |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | mauritiana: from Mauritius |
Habitat: | In open riverine woodland and tree savanna, on the banks of rivers and swamps and by roodsides, often in sandy soils. |
Altitude range: (metres) | Up to 1000 m |
Flowering time: | |
Worldwide distribution: | More or less pantropical; also in South Africa. |
Zimbabwe distribution: | N,W |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Images last updated: | Monday 13 December 2010 |
Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 131. (Includes a picture). Gonçalves, M.L. (1987). Convolvulaceae Flora Zambesiaca 8(1) Page 117. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 36. Pickering, H. & Roe, E. (2009). Wild Flowers of the Victoria Falls Area Helen Pickering, London Page 54. (Includes a picture). |
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