Ipomoea quamoclit L.

An annual glabrous twiner, rarely prostrate. Leaves ovate or oblong in outline, 2-10 by 1-6 cm, pinnatipartite to the midrib, with (8-)10—18 pairs of linear to filiform patent segments, the inferior of which are often bifid; rarely the leaves are less deeply incised [var. pectinata (HALLIER f.) OOSTSTR.]; petiole 8-40 mm, at the base often with pseudo-stipules. Inflorescences axillary, cymosely one-to few-flowered; peduncles mostly exceeding the leaves, 1½-10(-14) cm. Pedicels much longer than the calyx, (5-)9-20 mm, thickened and clavate in fruit. Bracts minute, deltoid, acute. Sepals slightly unequal, outer ones shorter, verruculose outside; all oblong to oblong-spathulate, obtuse, mucronulate somewhat below the apex; outer sepals (mucro excluded) 4-4½ mm, inner ones (mucro excluded) 5-6 mm long; mucro ¾-1 mm; margins of sepals pale. Corolla glabrous, salver-shaped, red or sometimes white (var. albiflora G. DON), the tube 2½-3½ cm long, slightly narrowed towards the base, straight; the limb expanded, 1¾-2 cm diam., 5-lobed with acutish, mucronulate lobes. Stamens and style exserted; filaments hairy at the base. Ovary glabrous. Capsules ovoid, obtuse, 6-8 mm long, often crowned by the thickened base of the style, 4-celled, 4-valved, with longitudinally splitting valves, the dissepiments persistent, pellucid, with a thickened circular margin. Seeds 4, ovoid-oblong, 5-6 mm long, blackish-brown, marmorate by tufts of minute hairs.

A tropical plant. It occurs throughout the tropics. It needs an average well-drained soil. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 1,000 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 9-12.

Uses. In the Philippines the leaves are prepared in poultices and employed as a remedy for bleeding haemorrhoids.

Plants can be grown from seed.