Ipomoea alba L.
moon flower
Glabrous, fibrous-rooted perennial. Stems twining, sometimes muricate. Petiole 2.5-3.8 cm long. Lamina 5.5-16 × 4-14 cm, broad-ovate, entire or with 2 small outwardly directed lobes towards the base, deeply cordate with ± rounded sinus; apex usually acuminate. Infl. axillary, cymose, 1-few-flowered; peduncles stout; pedicels to 1 cm long, stout. Bracts small, caducous. Sepals 1.7-2 cm long, elliptic, unequal; outer 2 or 3 sepals with long patent or curved awns, the inner at most mucronate. Corolla 9.5-11 cm diam. across the patent limb, white with green mid-petaline bands outside, salverform; tube narrow-cylindric, 8.25-9.5 cm long. Stamens with exserted part 1.5-2.5 cm long; filaments glabrous. Capsule 2.5-3 cm long, ovoid, prominently beaked. Seeds c. 10 × 7 mm, deep brown, glabrous.
K.: known only from a small population in old plantations in Denham Bay, Raoul Id.
Tropical America 1977
FL Dec-Mar.
The beautiful moon flower is cultivated in warmer parts of N.Z. It belongs to the very distinct sect. Calonyction (Choisy) Griseb. which is characterised by the large salverform usually white corolla with a long, narrow, cylindric tube. The fls are nocturnal and fragrant.
