Ipomoea indica
NPPA pest plant
Common name
blue morning glory
Family
Convolvulaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Lianes & Related Trailing Plants - Dicotyledons
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
IPOIND
Conservation status
Not applicable
Habitat
Terrestrial.
Features
High-climbing, fibrous-rooted, hairy perennial. Stems twining and running. Petioles around 2~20cm long, often purplish, densely hairy, otherwise smooth. Lamina usu. deeply 3-lobed, 5~18 x 5~16 cm, generally silky hairy below; sinuses rounded; terminal lobe usually ovate apart from the generally narrow base, acute to acuminate; lateral lobes broad and asymmetric. Infl. axillary, few-flowered. Peduncles long, often > leaves, with retrorse hairs. Pedicels generally densely clothed in retrorse hairs. Bracts and bracteoles > pedicels, usu. narrow-linear, but sometimes small, simple, foliose basal bracts present. Sepals 1.8~2.5cm long, narrow-lanceolate, acuminate, hairy esp. on margins and towards base. Corolla 8.5~10 x 9~10.5cm, funnelform; tube pink except for narrow white base; limb usually deep blue or purple with pink mid-petaline bands on the outside, often withering by afternoon and turning completely pink. Stamens 2.3~4cm long, included; fused basal part of filaments broad and white-bearded at top. Style slightly exceeding longest stamens; stigma capitate, alveolate. (- Webb et. al., 1988)
Similar taxa
The plant is a perennial, high climbing herb, with 3-lobed leaves (Webb et. al. 1988; Department of Conservation 1996). The flowers are large and deep blue (Department of Conservation 1996). The stems are twining and running (Webb et. al. 1988; Department of Conservation 1996). The leaves are hairy and triangular (Northland Regional Council n.d.). Leaves are heart-shaped, usually 3-lobed and hairy; stems are often purplish; funnel-shaped flowers up to 10 cm across and intense blue or purple; seed capsules
Flowering
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
Flower colours
Blue, Violet/Purple
Fruiting
not seen
Life cycle
Perennial. Morning glory spreads vegetatively , with nodes fastening to the soil and sending out new roots. Broken plant pieces from, for example, passing animals or weeding will form a new plant and increase the size of any current infestation. (Ermert and Clapp 1998). Viable seed was not thought to be formed in New Zealand (Webb et. al. 1988; Department of Conservation 1996). However, in 1996 a plant was found in the Bay of Plenty producing large amounts of seed with seedlings nearby (Ford, 1998). Fruit has not been seen (Webb et. al. 1988).
Year naturalised
1950
Origin
pantropical
Reason for introduction
Ornamental
Etymology
ipomoea: Worm-like, referring to coiled flower bud
National Pest Plant Accord species
This plant is listed in the 2020 National Pest Plant Accord. The National Pest Plant Accord (NPPA) is an agreement to prevent the sale and/or distribution of specified pest plants where either formal or casual horticultural trade is the most significant way of spreading the plant in New Zealand. For up to date information and an electronic copy of the 2020 Pest Plant Accord manual (including plant information and images) visit the MPI website.