27 



NOTES FROM THE TROPICAL STRAND: IPOMOEA 

 PES-CAPRAE AND CANAVALIA LINEATA 



By Frank C. Gates 



In connection with an investigation of the revegetation of 

 Taal Volcano,* in the PhiHppine Islands a very striking case 

 of the similarity of appearance under the same conditions was 

 encountered. Ipomoea pes-caprae is a characteristic, trailing 

 strand plant in the tropics and is quite well represented on Taal 

 Island. Its flowers are entirely like those of other members of 

 the Convolvulaceae, so considerable surprise was at first mani- 

 fested at finding leguminous flowers rising from seeming beds of 





Fig. I. Ipomoea pes-caprae on the strand, Taal Volcano, P.I. (April i8, 1914 

 10 A.M.) 



Ipomoea. Except for the flowers no distinction was apparent 

 even from so short a distance as three meters. Closer examina- 

 tion however revealed a trifoliolate-leaved legume, Canavalia 

 lineata, whose leaflets quite closely approached the position if not 

 the form of the leaves of Ipomoea. 



In one of its forms, Canavalia lineata is quite characteristic of 

 the strand, alternating with Ipomoea pes-caprae, as well as growing 

 together with it in the same patch. That the Ipomoea was better 

 adapted for severe strand conditions was apparent in that it 

 developed hardily under severer conditions than the Canavalia 



* In edition, in the Philippine Journal of Science. 1914, 



