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
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 name | English name | Scientific name | Useful parts | Usefulness |
Misti alo | Sweet potao | Ipomoea batatas L | root | food |
Kalmishak | Kangong | Ipomoea aquatica | Leaf | vegetable |
Bhuichameli | Not known | Evolvulus alsinoides | Stem | Medicinal |
Bhuikumra | Not known | Ipomoea 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.
Table Some common sweet potato are developed by Tuber Crop Research Center
Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Joydebpur, Gazipur, Bangladesh
Serial Number | Name of variety | Developed by | Growing season | Average Yield (t ha-1) |
1 | BARI Sweet potato 1 | TCRC, BARI | Rabi & Kharif | 40-50 |
2 | BARI Sweet potato 2 | TCRC, BARI | Rabi & Kharif | 40-45 |
3 | BARI Sweet potato 3 | TCRC, BARI | Rabi & Kharif | 40-45 |
4 | BARI Sweet potato 4 | TCRC, BARI | Rabi & Kharif | 40-45 |
5 | BARI Sweet potato 5 | TCRC, BARI | Rabi & Kharif | 40-45 |
6 | BARI Sweet potato 6 | TCRC, BARI | Rabi & Kharif | 40-45 |
7 | BARI Sweet potato 7 | TCRC, BARI | Rabi & Kharif | 40-45 |
8 | BARI Sweet potato 8 | TCRC, BARI | Rabi & Kharif | 40-45 |
9 | BARI Sweet potato 9 | TCRC, BARI | Rabi & Kharif | 40-45 |
Water spinach
Scientific name: Ipomoea aquatica Forssk
Local name: Kangkong
Taxonomic Position (according to Cronquist)
Kingdom | Plantae |
Division | Magnoliophyta |
Class | Magnoliopsida |
Subclass | Asteridae |
Order | Sonales |
Family | Convolvulaceae |
Genus | Ipomoea |
Species | aquatica |
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