More than 2200 species of the wild flora and fauna photographed in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico and the surrounding area.
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Nightshades, Bindweeds, and Gooseweeds, of Zihuatanejo
ORDER SOLANALES
Littlebell
Ipomoea triloba
Flowers by Colour
-Vascular Plants (Phylum Tracheophyta)
-Flowering Plants (Subphylum Angiospermae)
-Nightshades, Bindweeds, Gooseweeds, and Allies (Order Solanales)
-Bindweed Family (Family Convolvulaceae)
-Subfamily Convolvuloideae
-Tribe Ipomoeeae
-Morning-Glories (Genus Ipomoea)
-Littlebell (Ipomoea triloba)
Littlebell (Ipomoea triloba) is a species of morning glory that is native to the tropical Americas. It is a vine with a twining or creeping habit. It is not a high climber but is more often seen scrambling through grasses and over low shrubs. The pink to pale purple flowers measure ½ to 1 inch long and are funnelform (gradually widening from base to apex) with five short lobes, each ending in a short, abrupt point. The leaves are eaten as vegetables and also sold in local markets in some parts of the world. Little bell plants have some medicinal uses in curing headaches and stomach ailments.
Description
• Ipomoea triloba, commonly known as littlebell or three-lobed morning glory, is a slender annual climbing or trailing vine in the morning-glory family (Convolvulaceae). Its leaves are usually heart-shaped to distinctly three-lobed, with pointed tips. The small, funnel-shaped flowers are typically pink, rose-purple, or occasionally white, often with a darker throat. The flowers develop into small, rounded capsules containing several seeds. The stems twine around nearby vegetation, allowing the plant to spread rapidly when conditions are favourable.
Range
• Ipomoea triloba is native to tropical America, including Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and parts of South America. It has become naturalized in many other tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. It is native to Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, and the surrounding area.
Habitat
• It grows in sunny, warm environments, including tropical deciduous forest margins, scrub, grasslands, agricultural fields, roadsides, and disturbed ground. It is particularly common in open areas during the rainy season, when its fast-growing stems can climb over grasses and other vegetation.