IPOMCEA 



IPOMCEA 



815 



ft, Mina, Pharbitis and Qiiamoclit. Convolvulacece. 

 JRNING-GLORY. MOONFLOWER. Over 300 species of 

 aiual or perennial herbs, mostly twining, rarely trees 

 ( F. 7:364) or shrubs, widely distributed in tropical and 

 tiperate regions. They are remarkable for easy cul- 

 1 3, quick growth and beautiful flowers; hence the 

 c us includes several of our most popular plants for 

 c ering verandas and screening unsightly objects. 



'he generic characters of Ipomoea are not clearly 

 c.ned. The list of synonyms given above is a record 



< msucoessful attempts to find constant characters by 

 \ ich this large and variable genus maybe separated 

 i > smaller and more definite groups. It is distinguished 

 t in Convolvulus, its nearest ally, by having but 1 capi- 

 t ' or 2-3 globose stigmas, while Convolvulus has 2 

 1 ;ar or ovate stigmas. Stem mostly slender, twilling 

 c climbing, sometimes prostrate, diffuse or erect ; 

 1 ?es alternate, entire, lobed or parted, often varying 

 gatly on the same plant ; flowers usually showy, borne 

 s?ly or in cymes on axillary peduncles ; corolla f un- 

 iform, salverform or bell-shaped (in one species 

 t;-shaped), the limb sometimes entire, but usually 

 Sigled or 5-lobed, red, purple, blue, white or yellow, 

 i arious shades and mixtures ; calyx without the bracts 

 ethe base, which appear in some species of Convol- 

 \us, but the outer sepals are commonly larger. The 

 f i-ers of most species open in early morning and last 

 I a few hours under bright sunlight, hence the popu- 

 li name. A few open only at night-fall. 



The Japanese Morning-Glories," also called "Impe- 

 r " and "Emperor" Morning-Glories, were introduced 

 tthe American trade from Japan in 1895. They are 

 { bably selected strains of /. hederacea, although some 

 lanits consider them to be of hybrid origin, possibly 

 j hederacea X rubro-ccerulea. Maximowicz referred 

 t m to /. hederacea, and this appears to be the more 

 rsonable disposition. The culture of the "asagoa" in 

 ] >an amounted to a popular craze about 1830, the 

 divalent of $14 to $18 sometimes being paid for a 

 s gle seed of the rare sorts. With political disturbances 

 . IP a decline of interest, but more recently the popu- 

 1 fancy for Morning-Glories has again revived. The 

 i tanese gardeners grow their plants almost entirely in 

 ] s, and by constant attention have made them vary 

 i j many curious oddities in flower and foliage. Several 

 1 'ly illustrated books on the Morning-Glory alone are 

 plisbed in Japan. See also "Century Magazine, "55:281 

 I 97). The Japanese Ipomceas are sold in this country 

 rstly in strains, each package of seed giving flowers of 

 i ny forms and colors. There are some inferior strains 

 ( ?red, and the flowers from these are often disappoint- 

 i ; yet as a class the Japanese Morning-Glories are 

 i most gorgeous and versatile of garden Ipomoeas. 

 I the seeds are notched they will generally bloom in 

 ( -eeks from sowing. 



loruing-Glories are among the least exacting of gar- 



< i plants as regards soil and site. Most species love a 

 i ong soil and sunny site, with plenty of water ; but 

 1 y will make the best of much that is uncongenial. 

 ' e seeds of the annual kinds may be sown directly out- 

 doors, but are preferably started indoors, at least in 



North. If the plants are allowed to become slightly 

 f -bound before being transplanted, they will come 

 Jo bloom earlier. Germination may be hastened and 

 so made more certain by filing a small notch in each 

 sd, or by soaking the seeds in warm water about 2 

 firs. The "Moonflower" and the "Japanese Morning- 

 tries" particularly are liable to germinate poorly un- 

 )s these precautions are taken. 



'lie perennial Ipomoeas are grown from seeds in some 

 ^ es, but mostly from cuttings of well ripened wood, 

 1 ers, or division of the rootstocks. Some of the green- 

 hse species, notably 1. Horsfallice, rarely produce 



id and are rooted from stem-cuttings with great diffi- 

 ty. These are often propagated successfully by 

 Mfting well ripened shoots on pieces of their own 

 i-ts, or the roots of /. pandurata. I. ternata roots 

 " m cuttings more readily, and /. Leari and I. Jalapa 

 >' easily propagated from cuttings. 

 .The rapid growth and dense foliage of most garden 



'iim-as make them especially valuable for covering 

 Dors, verandas, walls, and for screening unsightly 

 *iects. /. purpurea, I. rubro-ccerulea, I. hederacea 



52 



and /. Quamoclit are the most popular annual species 

 for this purpose ; and I. Leari, setosa and pandurata 

 are among the best perennials. In the South, the peren- 

 nials may be carried through the winter outside by cut- 

 ting off the stems and mulching the roots heavily in the 

 fall ; in the North the tubers should be taken up and 

 wintered like Dahlias, keeping them perfectly dry in a 

 cool greenhouse or frost-proof cellar. /. leptophylla 

 is valuable for very dry soils. /. Bona-nox is worthy 

 of a place in every garden. 



The tender perennials are seen to advantage when 

 trained to pillars, trellises, or along the roof of a green- 

 house. Their roots should be given plenty of room to 

 forage and their tops to spread. /. Horsfallice and its 

 closely related species, /. ternata, are very satisfactory 

 for this purpose. After flowering the strong shoots 

 should be cut back and the plant rested. Several spe- 

 cies, particularly/. Leari, rubro-ccerulea and hederacea, 

 make excellent pot-plants if they are kept somewhat 

 pot-bound to induce flowering. The roots of nearly all 

 the perennial species are more or less purgative ; par- 

 ticularly /. Ptirga, from which comes the Jalap of com- 

 merce, /. Jalapa and /. cathartica. I. Batatas is the 

 common sweet potato. 



The trade names of Ipomoeas are endlessly mixed. 

 Thus, /. Mexicana of the catalogues may be /. hede- 

 racea, I. digitata, I. Jalapa, I. Bona-nox, I. Leari or 

 /. rubro-ccerulea ; but is rarely the true I. Mexicana of 

 Gray. "Moonflower" is often applied indiscriminately 



1166. Ipomoea Quamoclit (X%) 



to several species of Ipomoea, but it should be restricted 

 to /. Bona-nox and /. grandi flora. It is evident that 

 most of the plants now sold as /. grandiflora are forms 

 of /. Bona-nox ; but a few of the smaller and inferior 

 types are the true /. grandiflora of Lamarck. /. hybrida 

 is a trade name for strains of I. purpurea and /. rubro- 

 ccerulea. The "Tree Ipomoea" is /. fistulosa. The 

 "Japanese" or "Imperial" Morning-Glories may be 

 referred to /. hederacea. Other popular catalogue 



