Obscure Morning-Glory

Ipomoea obscura (?)

a pastel yellow morning-glory, Ipomoea obscura, from Kenya, photo © by Michael Plagens

Prostrate vine in an area of shallow soil and rocky pasture. Eldoret, Kenya, Africa. December 2012.

leaf of morning-glory photo © Michael Plagens

HERBACEOUS VINE: Long-lived mostly herbaceous vine with a woody crown and lower stems. This specimen had stems twining slightly and extended a meter or less and were partially prostrate and scrambling over some other plants and rocks.

FLOWERS: The flowers of this specimen were pastel yellow. They suggest a nicer common name than the ones so far published: Pastel Morning Glory. Some variations across the wide range of this species include almost pure white and with a purple-tinted throat. There are five united petals and the center of each is darker yellow.

LEAVES: The leaves are rather thick, dark green, and heart-shaped (cordate).

RANGE: I. obscure is a native plant and ranges through much of Africa and tropical Asia. Being attractive it has also been cultivated widely where it sometimes escapes and becomes an invasive seed.

FRUIT: The fruits are dry capsules with typically four seeds.

UNARMED.

Convolvulaceae -- Morning-Glory Family

More Information:


Kenya Natural History

Copyright Michael J. Plagens, Created on 7 February 2013