Ipomoea violacea is a perennial species of Ipomoea that occurs throughout the world with the exception of the European continent. It is most commonly called beach moonflower or sea moonflower as the flowers open at night.
Description
The corolla of the flower of
Ipomoea violacea is white, distinguishing this species from
Ipomoea tricolor, commonly called
Heavenly Blue. It is sometimes mistaken for the
cultivar Pearly Gates, the corolla of which is also white, probably because of its
misleading Latin binomial name,
Ipomoea violacea, "violacea" meaning purple.
Comparative taxonomies
A comparison of the taxonomy of the two plants shows that they belong to different
subgenus, consequently,
Ipomoea violacea should not be used as a synonym for
Ipomoea tricolor. In exceptional cases where
Ipomoea violacea has to be used as a synonym of
Ipomoea tricolor, one must specify the incorrect usage by using the abbreviation 'Auct.' for
Auctorum.
Ipomoea violacea:
- * Genus: Ipomoea
- :*Subgenus: Eriospermum
- ::*Section: Erpipomoea
Ipomoea tricolor:
- *Genus: Ipomoea
- :*Subgenus: Quamoclit
- ::*Section: Tricolor
Ergoline Alkaloids
Ipomoea violacea is no longer a synonym for Ipomoea tricolor.
contains ergolines, along with 24 other Ipomoeas,
Table 4.1 Unambiguously ergoline-positive Ipomoea species (pages 225-227)
Related species contain ergolines too:
Table 4.4 Unambiguously ergoline-positive Argyreia species (p. 236)
Table 4.5 Unambiguously ergoline-positive Stictocardia and Turbina species (p. 238) but I. violacea is not among them.
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