Morning Glories of Monteverde, Costa Rica

Convolvulaceae: Ipomoea and Related Species

Species Descriptions

Flower parts

Convolvulus nodiflorus

Corolla white, small, <3 cm diameter, no nectar tube, style forked, open in day, no odor.

Ipomoea alba

Corolla white, large, >5 cm diameter, tube long and narrow, about 12 cm, open at night, sweet odor.

Ipomoea aurantiaca

Corolla yellow-orange, 4 cm diameter, calyx sticky, glabrous, dry rocky ridges on Pacific slope at 900-1200 m, flowers in September, uncommon.

Ipomoea batatas

Corolla pink-lavender, calyx lobes and stem glabrous, corolla 4-5 cm in diameter, 4-5 cm long, Pacific slope at 900-1450 m, common above 1200 m, occasional on Atlantic slope.

Ipomoea batatoides

Corolla pink-lavender, throat white with gray at base inside, calyx lobes short, rounded and convex, without an apical tooth, flowering in January to February, uncommon, Pacific slope at 700-1100 m, also on Atlantic slope.

Ipomoea indica

Corolla dark blue, calyx lobes broad at base, hairy only near base or glabrous, an ornamental cultivated around houses, flowers present during most of year.

Ipomoea hederifolia

Corolla red, 2 cm diameter, 3-4 cm long, calyx lobes long and slender, lowlands to 500m on Pacific slope, uncommon.

Ipomoea leucotricha

Corolla purple-blue with paler pink or magenta throat, stems and leaves pubescent, calyx lobes pointed and recurved, uncommon, Pacific slope at 1100-1200 m, usually on rocky ridges.

Ipomoea lindenii

Corolla dark blue to purple with throat purple-black except at extreme base, calyx lobes short and rounded, leaves glabrous, common in drier sites on Pacific slope at 800-1300 m.

Ipomoea nil

Corolla vibrant blue, calyx lobes hairy and narrow at base, common on Pacific slope from lowlands to 1400 m, flowers mostly November to January.

Ipomoea parasitica

Corolla dark blue with yellow throat, smaller than others with 5 cm diameter, leaves glabrous, Pacific slope at 700-900 m, uncommon.

Ipomoea santillianii

Corolla white, large, >5 cm diameter, tube short, less than 3 cm, open at night, spoiled fruit odor.

Ipomoea setosa

Corolla pink, calyx with dense 1 cm soft spines, uncommon, Pacific slope at 300-700 m.

Ipomoea trifida

Corolla pink, calyx lobes and stem with long hairs, corolla 3 cm in diameter, 2.5 cm long, limb white or pale pink with 5 distinct lobes, common below 700 m, abundant, Pacific slope at 0-700 m.

Ipomoea umbraticola

Corolla pink-lavender, throat magenta, calyx lobes short with a small tooth at apex, peduncle ridged or winged, flowering in November to December, common, Pacific slope at 400-1000 m.

Operculina pteripes

Corolla salmon, 6 cm diameter, calyx large and glabrous, high-climbing liana, Pacific lowlands to about 500 m, very locally distributed.

Images and text copyright © 2001-2006 by William A. Haber, http://efg.cs.umb.edu/
Created: 7 March 2001; updated: 26 November 2006.