Description

• Ipomoea pes-caprae, commonly known as beach morning-glory, goat’s-foot morning-glory, or beach bindweed, is a robust, perennial, creeping vine in the morning-glory family (Convolvulaceae). Its thick, fleshy stems can extend several metres along the ground, rooting at the nodes and forming extensive mats. The leathery, oval to kidney-shaped leaves have a distinctive shallow notch at the tip, resembling a goat’s hoof. Its large, funnel-shaped flowers are usually pink to purplish-pink with a darker centre. The rounded capsules contain brown, hairy seeds that can remain viable after floating in seawater, helping the species disperse between tropical coastlines.

Range

• Ipomoea pes-caprae has a pantropical distribution along tropical and subtropical coastlines worldwide. It is native to the tropical Americas, including Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America, and is also native to tropical coastal regions of Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. It is native to Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, and the surrounding area.

Habitat

• It grows primarily on sandy beaches, coastal dunes, and the upper shoreline above the regular high-tide mark. It tolerates salt spray, strong sunlight, heat, and nutrient-poor sand. Its long, creeping stems help stabilize dunes by covering exposed sand, while its salt-tolerant seeds allow dispersal by ocean currents.