6. Ipomoea purpurea (L.) Roth (common morning glory)

I. purpurea var. diversifolia (Lindl.) O’Donell

I. hirsutula Jacq.

Pl. 368 e–g; Map 1601

Plants annual. Stems 30–400 cm long, moderately to densely pubescent with relatively long, spreading to downward-angled hairs. Leaves long-petiolate. Leaf blades 2–12 cm long, unlobed or less commonly deeply 3(5)-lobed, the lobes triangular, broadly ovate to ovate-triangular in overall outline, tapered to a sharply pointed tip, shallowly to more commonly deeply cordate at the base, both surfaces moderately pubescent with straight, appressed to spreading hairs, the margins otherwise entire. Flowers solitary or more commonly in loose clusters of 2 or 3(–6), the stalks moderately to densely pubescent with relatively long, spreading to downward-angled hairs. Sepals similar in size and shape or the outer 2 slightly longer and broader than the inner ones, 10–17 mm long, oblong-lanceolate to narrowly oblong-ovate, narrowed or short-tapered to a sharply pointed, somewhat outward-curved, triangular tip, the surface and margins moderately to densely pubescent with relatively long, spreading to downward-angled hairs. Corollas 2.5–5.0 cm long, funnelform to slightly bell-shaped, the tube widened gradually toward the tip, pink, purple, or less commonly white or light blue with a white or yellowish white center. Stamens not exserted. Ovary 3-locular, the stigma 3-lobed. Fruits globose or slightly depressed-globose, the main body 8–10 mm long, the persistent style 2–5 mm long, glabrous. Seeds 3.8–4.5 mm long, the surface moderately to densely minutely hairy. 2n=30. July–October.

Scattered sporadically nearly throughout the state (native of tropical America; widely naturalized in the U.S. and Canada, and other warm-temperate to tropical portions of the world). Banks of streams and rivers; also crop fields, fallow fields, gardens, ditches, railroads, roadsides, and open, disturbed areas.

As in I. hederacea, differences in leaf lobing are not thought to be worthy of formal taxonomic recognition. Whereas specimens of I. hederacea from Missouri mostly have 3-lobed leaves, those of I. purpurea mostly have unlobed leaves.