Flora of New Zealand Series

blue morning glory

High-climbing, fibrous-rooted, hairy perennial. Stems twining and running. Petioles c. 2-20 cm long, often purplish, densely hairy, otherwise smooth. Lamina usually deeply 3-lobed, 5-18 × 5-16 cm, ± silky hairy below; sinuses rounded; terminal lobe ± ovate apart from the generally narrow base, acute to acuminate; lateral lobes broad and asymmetric. Infl. axillary, few-flowered. Peduncles long, often > lvs, with retrorse hairs. Pedicels ± densely clothed in retrorse hairs. Bracts and bracteoles > pedicels, usually narrow-linear, but sometimes small, simple, foliose basal bracts present. Sepals 1.8-2.5 cm long, narrow-lanceolate, acuminate, hairy especially on margins and towards base. Corolla 8.5-10 × 9-10.5 cm, funnelform; tube pink except for narrow white base; limb usually deep blue or purple with pink mid-petaline bands on the outside, often withering by afternoon and turning completely pink. Stamens 2.3-4 cm long, included; fused basal part of filaments broad and white-bearded at top. Style slightly exceeding longest stamens; stigma capitate, alveolate. Fr. not seen.

N.: lowland parts from N. Auckland to Wellington area; S.: northern areas.

Pantropical 1950

Forest and scrub margins, around gardens and plantations.

FL Jan-Dec.

Plants of blue morning glory are often very vigorous and may smother trees and shrubs. Viable seed is not formed in N.Z.

The taxonomy of this and related spp. has been very confused [Fosberg, F. R., Bot. Not. 129: 35-38 (1976)]. Most N.Z. plants have deeply 3-lobed lvs and a large, deep blue corolla. This form is often referred to I. learii Paxt., and is also sometimes known as I. congesta. I. learii, described from tropical America, is a well-known horticultural plant in many countries, and is now usually included within the variable and widespread tropical I. indica.

One specimen (CHR 70266, Tirohanga Stream, east of Opotiki, Bay of Plenty, Healy, 23.2.1947) has simple or partly 2-lobed lvs which are almost silky below. This might be referred to I. mutabilis Lindley, another taxon known only in cultivation and now usually included within I. indica sens. lat.