Ipomoea triloba L.

  • Authority

    Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro. 2005. Vines and climbing plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 51: 1-483.

  • Family

    Convolvulaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Ipomoea triloba L.

  • Description

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    Description - Herbaceous vine, twining or creeping, 2-3 m in length, with scarce milky latex. Stems green, cylindrical, smooth, slender, puberulous. Leaves alternate; blades simple, 3-6 (9) x 3-5 (6.5) cm, ovate to subcircular, usually 3-5-lobed, chartaceous, the apex mucronate, acute, or emarginate, the base cordiform or sagittate, the margins smooth, slightly revolute; upper surface with minute hairs on the veins; lower surface glabrous, with prominent venation; petioles glabrous, somewhat sulcate, 2-4 cm long, with two glandular depressions where they join the blade. Flowers in simple or compound dichasial cymes, axillary; peduncles longer than the petioles, quadrangular, pubescent, tuberculate. Calyx green, not accrescent, the sepals pilose, subequal, ca. 8 mm long, ovate to oblanceolate, the apex acuminate or acute; corolla violet-pink or lavender, usually reddish at the base in the center, infundibuliform or campanulate, 1.4-1.6 cm long, the limb ca. 1 cm in diameter; stamens sagittate, white, two of them shorter, not exserted; stigmas globose, white, not exserted. Capsule depressed-globose, brown, ca. 8 mm in diameter, pilose, with the style persistent; seeds 4 per fruit, 3-5 mm long, glabrous, dark brown to black.

    Phenology - Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.

    Conservation Status - Native, very common.

  • Discussion

    In the absence of the corolla, this species can be confused with I. tiliacea in individuals with relatively large and unlobed leaves. Nevertheless, I. triloba is distinguished by having pilose sepals, while those of I. tiliacea are glabrous.

  • Common Names

    bejuquillo de puerco