Taxon: Ipomoea violacea L.

Summary

Genus:

Ipomoea

Subgenus:

Eriospermum

Section:

Erpipomoea

Family:

Convolvulaceae

Tribe:

Ipomoeeae

Nomen number:

20238

Place of publication:

Sp. pl. 1:161. 1753

Comment:

non Ipomoea violacea auct. (= I. tricolor Cav.)

Typification:

View in Linnean Typification Project

Verified:

08/28/1996 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

3 (2 active, 0 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Convolvulus tuba Schltdl.
Ipomoea macrantha Roem. & Schult.
Ipomoea tuba (Schltdl.) G. Don

Images (2 total. Click on image for more.)

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
Austin, D. F. & Z. Huáman. 1996. A synopsis of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) in the Americas. Taxon 45:12.
Correll, D. S. & H. B. Correll. 1982. Flora of the Bahama archipelago.
Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
Godfrey, R. K. & J. W. Wooten. 1979-1981. Aquatic and wetland plants of southeastern United States, 2 vol.
Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada Note: "disputed application" used for Ipomoea tricolor & I. tuba
Manitz, H. 1977. Was ist Ipomoea violacea L.? Feddes Repert. 88:265.
Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
Powell et al. 1978. Convolvulus grandifolius Jacq. (Convolvulaceae) re-examined. Brittonia 30:199-202.
Smitinand, T. & K. Larsen, eds. 1970-. Flora of Thailand.
Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana. Note: tentative synonym of Ipomoea tricolor
The Missouri Botanical Garden with others. A Catalogue of the vascular plants of Madagascar (on-line resource).
Wagner, W. L. et al. Flora of the Hawaiian Islands (on-line resource).
Wiggins, I. L. 1980. Flora of Baja California.
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Wunderlin, R. & B. Hansen. Atlas of Florida vascular plants (on-line resource).

Common names

Language	Name	seq	Citation
English	beach moonflower	1	Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
English	moonflower	1	Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
English	sea moonflower	1	Powell et al. 1978. Convolvulus grandifolius Jacq. (Convolvulaceae) re-examined. Brittonia 30:199-202.
American Indian (Nahuatl)	ololiuqui	2	Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
French (Lesser Antilles)	belle de nuit	2	Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
Spanish (Cuba)	jabilla	2	Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
Spanish (Puerto Rico)	bejuco de luna	2	Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Africa	Western Indian Ocean	Seychelles			Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Taiwan			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Sri Lanka			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Thailand			Smitinand, T. & K. Larsen, eds. 1970-. Flora of Thailand.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Christmas Island			Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Indonesia			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Malaysia			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Philippines			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Papuasia	New Guinea			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Papuasia	Solomon Islands			Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
1	Native	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Northern Territory		Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria. Australian plant census (APC) (on-line resource).
1	Native	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Queensland		Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria. Australian plant census (APC) (on-line resource).
1	Native	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Western Australia		Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria. Australian plant census (APC) (on-line resource).
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Florida	s.	Wunderlin, R. & B. Hansen. Atlas of Florida vascular plants (on-line resource).
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Campeche		Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Quintana Roo		Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Yucatán		Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
1	Native	Pacific	Northwestern Pacific	Marshall Islands			Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
1	Native	Pacific	Northwestern Pacific	Micronesia			Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
1	Native	Pacific	Northwestern Pacific	Palau			Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
1	Native	Pacific	Northwestern Pacific	United States	Guam		Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
1	Native	Pacific	Northwestern Pacific	United States	Northern Mariana Islands		Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
1	Native	Pacific	South-Central Pacific	Cook Islands			Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
1	Native	Pacific	South-Central Pacific	French Polynesia			Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
1	Native	Pacific	South-Central Pacific	Pitcairn			Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
1	Native	Pacific	Southwestern Pacific	Fiji			Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
1	Native	Pacific	Southwestern Pacific	New Caledonia			Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
1	Native	Pacific	Southwestern Pacific	Niue			Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
1	Native	Pacific	Southwestern Pacific	Samoa			Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
1	Native	Pacific	Southwestern Pacific	Tonga			Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Bahamas			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Barbados			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Cayman Islands			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Cuba			Austin, D. F. & Z. Huáman. 1996. A synopsis of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) in the Americas. Taxon 45:12.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Dominican Republic			Austin, D. F. & Z. Huáman. 1996. A synopsis of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) in the Americas. Taxon 45:12.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Grenada			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Haiti			Austin, D. F. & Z. Huáman. 1996. A synopsis of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) in the Americas. Taxon 45:12.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Hispaniola			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Jamaica			Austin, D. F. & Z. Huáman. 1996. A synopsis of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) in the Americas. Taxon 45:12.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Martinique			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Netherlands Antilles	Saba		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Netherlands Antilles	St. Eustatius		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	St. Kitts and Nevis			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	St. Lucia			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	St. Vincent and Grenadines			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Puerto Rico		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Virgin Islands, U.S.		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Virgin Islands, U.S.		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Virgin Islands, U.S.		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Virgin Islands (British)	Tortola		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Panama			Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	French Guiana			Austin, D. F. & Z. Huáman. 1996. A synopsis of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) in the Americas. Taxon 45:12.
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	Guyana			Austin, D. F. & Z. Huáman. 1996. A synopsis of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) in the Americas. Taxon 45:12.
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	Suriname			Austin, D. F. & Z. Huáman. 1996. A synopsis of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) in the Americas. Taxon 45:12.
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	Venezuela			Austin, D. F. & Z. Huáman. 1996. A synopsis of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) in the Americas. Taxon 45:12.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina			Austin, D. F. & Z. Huáman. 1996. A synopsis of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) in the Americas. Taxon 45:12.
4	Naturalized	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Mozambique			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
4	Naturalized	Africa	Western Indian Ocean	Madagascar			The Missouri Botanical Garden with others. A Catalogue of the vascular plants of Madagascar (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Pacific	North-Central Pacific	United States	Hawaii		Wagner, W. L. et al. Flora of the Hawaiian Islands (on-line resource).

Native
Africa

WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN: Seychelles

Asia-Temperate

CHINA: China
EASTERN ASIA: Taiwan

Asia-Tropical

INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: Sri Lanka
PAPUASIA: New Guinea, Solomon Islands
INDO-CHINA: Thailand
MALESIA: Christmas Island, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines

Australasia

AUSTRALIA: Australia [Queensland, Western Australia, Northern Territory]

Northern America

SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Florida (s.)]
SOUTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Campeche, Quintana Roo, Yucatán]

Pacific

NORTHWESTERN PACIFIC: Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Palau, United States [Guam, Northern Mariana Islands]
SOUTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: Cook Islands, Pitcairn, French Polynesia
SOUTHWESTERN PACIFIC: Fiji, New Caledonia, Niue, Tonga, Samoa

Southern America

CARIBBEAN: Hispaniola, Netherlands Antilles [Saba, St. Eustatius], Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Martinique, United States [Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, U.S., Virgin Islands, U.S., Virgin Islands, U.S.], St. Vincent and Grenadines, Virgin Islands (British) [Tortola]
CENTRAL AMERICA: Panama
NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela
SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina

Naturalized
Africa

SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Mozambique
WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN: Madagascar

Pacific

NORTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: United States [Hawaii]

Reference(s)

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
Austin, D. F. & Z. Huáman. 1996. A synopsis of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) in the Americas. Taxon 45:12.
Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria. Australian plant census (APC) (on-line resource).
Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
Smitinand, T. & K. Larsen, eds. 1970-. Flora of Thailand.
The Missouri Botanical Garden with others. A Catalogue of the vascular plants of Madagascar (on-line resource).
Wagner, W. L. et al. Flora of the Hawaiian Islands (on-line resource).
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Wunderlin, R. & B. Hansen. Atlas of Florida vascular plants (on-line resource).

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Medicines	folklore		Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=20238. Accessed 15 April 2026.