Description

• Ipomoea populina is a perennial climbing vine or sprawling plant in the morning-glory family (Convolvulaceae). Its stems can reach approximately 3–4 metres long and may be smooth or covered with fine, slightly curled hairs. The leaves are leathery, oval to oval-lance-shaped, with bases ranging from straight across to heart-shaped and pointed tips. Its large, funnel-shaped flowers are white with a distinctive purple throat and occur in small clusters of one to five blooms. The fruit is an oval capsule that turns brown when mature, containing a few large, oblong seeds with hairs along their margins.

Range

• Ipomoea populina is native to Mexico and extends into Central America as far south as Nicaragua. Within Mexico, it has been recorded in Guerrero and several other states. It is native to Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, and the surrounding area.

Habitat

• It grows in seasonally dry tropical forests and seasonal evergreen woodlands, including along river margins and in areas where forests have been cleared or disturbed. It occurs at elevations of approximately 200–2,000 metres and typically flowers and fruits during the cooler months, with flowering records from November to April.