Ipomoea aquatica Forssk.

Simões, A. R., Silva, H. & Silveira, P., 2011, The Convolvulaceae of Timor with special reference to East Timor, Blumea 56 (1), pp. 49-72 : 58

3. Ipomoea aquatica Forssk. — Map 7

Ipomoea aquatica Forssk. (1775) 44; Fawc. (1885) 511; Ooststr. (in Ooststr. & Hoogland 1953) 473; Kalkman (1955) 216.

Ipomoea reptans Poir. (1813) 460; Span. (1841) 339; Miq. (1856) 601.

Ipomoea repens Roth (1821) 110.

Distribution — Circumtropical, throughout Malesia (Van Ooststroom & Hoogland 1953).

Habitat & Ecology — In moist, marshy or inundated localities, in shallow pools, ditches, wet rice-fields, forming dense masses; also along waysides, from sea level to 1 000 m; wild and cultivated; the species is easily propagated by cuttings (Van Ooststroom & Hoogland 1953).

Vernacular names — Canco (Tetum?); kangkung (Indonesian).

Uses — Used as a laxative, recommended for piles (Burkill, Read, Valkenburgh & Bunyapraphatsara in Austin 2007) and said to have a nerve-calming effect (Naples in Austin 2007), among other medicinal uses. It is also an excellent palatable vegetable, especially the young shoots and leaves (Burkill, Heyne in Van Ooststroom & Hoogland 1953), and it is very popular as an addition to other foods at meals (Cornelius et al. in Austin 2007). It is used for forage ( Fang & Staples 1995), but in limited quantities, due to its laxative effect on the animals ( Austin 2007).

Figures

Map 7 Distribution of Ipomoea aculeata Blume var.mollissima (Zoll.) Hallier f. ex Ooststr. ($), I. alba L. (:) and I. aquatica Forssk. (5).