Convolvulaceae

Family: Convolvulaceae 

Popular name: The Morning-glory Family

Taxonomic Position (according to Cronquist)

Kingdom         :Plantae

Division           :Magnoliophyta

Class               :Magnoliopsida

Order               :Solanales

Family              :Convolvulaceae

Identifying characteristics

  • Climbing herb
  • Inflorescence is axillary dichasial cyme
  • Flower is actinomorphic, regular, pentamerous
  • Corolla-petal five, gamopetalous, pentamerous, bell-shaped

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Origin and Distribution

The family is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical areas in the world consisting about 50 genera and 1500 species. In Bangladesh, this family is represented by 15 genera and 55 species (Bushra Khan, 2008).

Botanical Description of the Family

Habit: Mostly twiners having whitish latex

Stem: Soft, twiner stem often contains milky juice

Root: Tap root, root modified into tuber

Leaf: Simple, alternate, variously lobed and dissected

Inflorescence: Usually cymose

Flower: regular, complete, hermaphrodite, hypogynous

Calyx: sepal 5, polysepalous

Corolla: Petal 5, gamopetalous, funnel-shaped, aestivation twisted or imbricate

Androecium: stamen 5, epipetalous

Gynoecium: carpel 2, syncarpous, placentation axile

Fruit: berry or capsule

Seed: cartilaginous endosperm 

Table 1. Economically important plants of this family 

Bangla/ local nameEnglish nameScientific nameUseful partsUsefulness
Misti aloSweet potaoIpomoea batatas Lrootfood
Kalmishak KangongIpomoea aquaticaLeafvegetable
Bhuichameli Not knownEvolvulus alsinoides Stem Medicinal
Bhuikumra Not knownIpomoea paniculata Root and fruit Medicinal

Sweet Potato

Scientific name: Ipomoea batatas L.

English name: Sweet Potato.

Local names: Misti Aloo, LomhoAloo, Ranga Aloo.

Taxonomic Position (according to Cronquist)

Kingdom: Plantae
Division   : Magnoliophyta
Class : Magnoliopsida
Order : Solanales
Family: Convolvulaceae
Genus : Ipomoea
Species :batatas

Botanical Description of Sweet Potato

Habit: Cultivated herb, a trailer.

Root: Tap root, root modified into tuber, elongated.

Stem:  Stem prostrate, v trailing on the ground.

Leaf: Leaves pedat 10 x 5-9 cm, ovate to orbicular, base cordate or truncate, glabrous or sparsely hairy.

Inflorescence: Flowers 1 to several in axillary cymose.

Flower: Complete, actinomorphic

Calyx: Calyx lobes unequal, sepals oblong, the inner ones usually longer than the outer, cuspidate.

Corolla:  Corolla campanulate to funnel- shaped. 3.0-4.5 cm long, glabrous, pale violet.

Androecium: stamens 0.7-1.0 cm long, included, filaments hairy at the base.

Gynoecium: ovary conic. 1.5 mm long, style 1 cm long.

Fruit:  a capsule, ovoid, rarely formed.

Chromosome number: 2n=30 (Fedorov, 1969)

Economic Importance: The root tubers are edible, leaves ground with salt are applied to whitlows. Roots are laxative and aphrodisiac, useful in strangury and diarrhoea.

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Table Some common sweet potato are developed by Tuber Crop Research Center

Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Joydebpur, Gazipur, Bangladesh

Serial NumberName of varietyDeveloped byGrowing seasonAverage Yield

(t ha-1)

1BARI Sweet potato 1TCRC, BARIRabi & Kharif40-50
2BARI Sweet potato 2TCRC, BARIRabi & Kharif40-45
3BARI Sweet potato 3TCRC, BARIRabi & Kharif40-45
4BARI Sweet potato 4TCRC, BARIRabi & Kharif40-45
5BARI Sweet potato 5TCRC, BARIRabi & Kharif40-45
6BARI Sweet potato 6TCRC, BARIRabi & Kharif40-45
7BARI Sweet potato 7TCRC, BARIRabi & Kharif40-45
8BARI Sweet potato 8TCRC, BARIRabi & Kharif40-45
9BARI Sweet potato 9TCRC, BARIRabi & Kharif40-45

 

Water spinach

Scientific name: Ipomoea aquatica Forssk

Local name: Kangkong

Taxonomic Position (according to Cronquist)

KingdomPlantae
DivisionMagnoliophyta
Class Magnoliopsida
SubclassAsteridae
Order Sonales
Family Convolvulaceae
Genus  Ipomoea
Speciesaquatica

 

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Botanical Description of Water Spinach

Habit:a glabrous trailor

Stem:stem usually hollow rooting at the nodes

Root:tap root or adventitious root system

Leaf:simple, alternate, variously lobed and dissected

Inflorescence:usually cymose

Flower: regular, complete, hermaphrodite, hypogynous

Calyx: sepal 5, polysepalous

Corolla: funnel-shaped

Androecium: stamen 5

 

 

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