Ipomoea hederifolia

B. D., Williams, R. C., Francisco, B., Mewded, C. P., Oppong, C. B., Ayensu, C. W., Masinde, D. B., Chukwuma, A. G., Deresa, D. D., Yeboah, F., Rasaminirina, U. P., Igho-Osagie, M. J., Korir, K. B., Antwi-Boasiako, R. A., Mfodwo, A. S. M., Mutegeki, P., Atta-Adjei, P. K., Akomatey, S., Kumordzie, R., Borosova, C., Tang, A., Asase, G., Ameka & Simões, A. R. G., 2024, Advancing knowledge of West African morning glories: a taxonomic account of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) from Ghana, Rheedea 34 (5), pp. 397-429 : 414

12. Ipomoea hederifolia L., Syst. Nat., ed. 10. 2: 925 (1759). Lectotype (designated by O’Donell,

1959: 48): Illustration of Ipomoea foliis cordatis in

Plumier in Burman, Pl. Amer. 4: 82, t.93, f.2. 1756.

Annual herbs. Stems twining, slender, ramified, slightly angular, glabrous or sparsely pilose. Leaves simple, rarely 3-lobed, ovate to orbicular in outline, 2.2–8.3 × 2.1–8 cm; petioles 3–13 cm, glabrous to sparsely pubescent; base cordate, apex acuminate and mucronate, margin entire, angular, coarsely dentate or deeply 3-lobed, glabrous to sparsely pubescent. Inflorescences axillary cymes: peduncle 1.3–16(–20) cm long, angular, glabrous to pubescent; bracteoles ovate, 1.5–2 mm, long mucronate. Flowers 1-few: pedicel 0.3–1.2 (–5) cm. Sepals slightly unequal, oblong-elliptic, 3–4 mm long with a prominent awn, 2–4 mm long, straight or slightly reflexed. Corolla hypocrateriform, red scarlet, glabrous, limb 2–2.5 cm in diam., shallowly 5-lobed; tube 2.8–4 cm long, narrowed below, slightly curved. Stamens exserted; filaments c. 4 cm long, slightly widened at the base and covered with glandular hairs; anthers 2 mm long. Ovary ovoid, glabrous, 2-locular, 4-celled; style c. 4.5 cm long; stigmas 2-globose. Fruits globose, 5–7 mm in diameter, surrounded at the base by the persistent sepals, opening by 4-valves; seeds trigonous, black, 3–4 mm long, densely pubescent.

Flowering & fruiting: Flowers and fruits from November to February ( Heine, 1963).

Vernacular names: liseron hallier (French), trompetica roja (Spanish), fue kula (Tongan), amarra-amarra, corda-de-viola, batatarana, corriola (Portuguese) ( Burkill, 1985).

Habitat: Found growing in waste places, thickets, cliffs, and locally established in riverine forest, roadsides, cultivated fields and disturbed areas.

They can grow up to 100 m above sea-level.

Distribution: Native of tropical and subtropical America from the Southern United States to Argentina, now widely naturalized throughout the tropics. In Ghana: Central region ( Fig. 6).

Specimens examined: GHANA. Eastern region: Bunso , [6°16’47” N, 00°27’44” W], 17.11.1995, H. H . Schmidt 1753 ( GC); Eastern region: Agogo , 21.12.1928, L. O . Deakin, 8 ( GC); Central Region: Assuantsi. 9.02.1928, T. W . Williams 1401 ( GC) .

Conservation status: Not evaluated.

Uses: Roots are scraped and used as a remedy for stomach-ache; modified stems are also used to treat intestinal parasites ( Rojas-Sandoval, 2016).