Ipomoea pes-caprae

• Botanical Name : Ipomoea pes-caprae (L.) R. Br.
• Synonyms : Ipomoea biloba Forssk.
• Common Name : Maryad-Vel, Arvel, Samudraphen
• Plant Family : Convolvulaceae
• Plant Form : Climbers
• Occurrence (Sectors) : 8, 15, 26, 28, 30
• Occurrence (Special Areas) : Gujarat Forestry Research Foundation, Indroda Park, Ayurvedic Udyan, Sarita Udyan

About Ipomoea pes-caprae Plant :

• Habit : A perennial stout creeper, growing on sandy sea shores with stems rooting at nodes.
• Leaves : Distinctly bilobed, parallel-veined, glabrous.
• Inflorescence : Solitary or in 3 flowered cymes, peduncles tinged with deep purple or red, bracts caducous.
• Flowers :
  • Calyx infundibuliform, sepals outer 2 oblong, obtuse and mucronulate, the inner sepals ovate-oblong, retuse, mucronulate.
  • Corolla infundibuliform, glabrous, rose or violet in colour.
  • Stamens included, filaments dilated and hairy at base.
• Fruits : Globose, glabrous. Seeds 4, each 8 mm long, covered with brown tomentum.
• Flowering and Fruiting Time : Most of the year.
• Significance :
  • Common on sandy sea shore and sandy river-banks where it serves to bind sand.
  • The leaves are applied in rheumatism.
  • Cultivated in the gardens also.