Taxon:  Ipomoea muricata (L.) Jacq.



Summary
Genus:
Ipomoea
Subgenus:
Quamoclit
Section:
Calonyction
Family:
Convolvulaceae
Tribe:
Ipomoeeae
Nomen number:
402175
Place of publication:
Pl. hort. schoenbr. 3:40.  1798
Comment:
while TL-2 indicates that publication of vol. 3(2), while stated as 1798, may have been as late as Jan 1803, thus postdating Ipomoea muricata Cav. (1799, q.v.), see Taxon 54:1075-1079. 2005, which establishes 1798 as the year of publication of this name
Verified:
10/02/2009 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
7 (3  active, 2  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Basionym
Convolvulus muricatus L.

Homotypic Synonym(s)
Calonyction muricatum (L.) G. Don

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Ipomoea petiolaris (Kunth) G. Don
Ipomoea turbinata Lag.

Images (1 total. Click on image for more.)
Seed

Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
  2. Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon. Note: = Ipomoea turbinata Lag.
  3. Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
  4. Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca. Note: = Ipomoea turbinata Lag.
  5. Gunn, C. R. 1972. Moonflowers, Ipomoea section Calonyction in temperate North America. Brittonia 24:150-168. Note: = Ipomoea turbinata Lag.
  6. Hammel, B. E. et al., eds. 2003-. Manual de plantas de Costa Rica
  7. Hara, H. et al. 1978-1982. An enumeration of the flowering plants of Nepal.
  8. Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles. Note: = Ipomoea turbinata Lag.
  9. Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.
  10. Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
  11. Lejoly, J. & S. Lisowski. 1992. Les genres Merremia et Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) dans la flore d'Afrique Centrale (Zaire, Rwanda, Burundi). Fragm. Florist. Geobot. 37:66. Note: = Ipomoea turbinata Lag.
  12. Matuda, E. 1963. El género Ipomoea en México. Anales Inst. Biol. Univ. Nac. México 34:135-136. Note: = Ipomoea turbinata Lag.
  13. Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan. Note: = Ipomoea turbinata Lag.
  14. Smith, E. B. 1978. An atlas and annotated list of the vascular plants of Arkansas
  15. Smitinand, T. & K. Larsen, eds. 1970-. Flora of Thailand. Note: mentions
  16. Staples, G. W. et al. 2005. The restoration of Ipomoea muricata (L.) Jacq. (Convolvulaceae). Taxon 54:1075-1079.
  17. Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
  18. Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
  19. Verdcourt, B. 1978. Corrections and additions to the flora of tropical East Africa Convolvulaceae part 4. Kew Bull. 33:167.
  20. Weakley, A. S. 2011. Flora of the southern and middle Atlantic states.
  21. Wood, J. R. I. et al. 2020. A foundation monograph of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae in the New World. PhytoKeys 143:1-823. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.143.32821. Note: Ipomoea muricata grows in disturbed sites, widely distributed in tropical America, and occasionally cultivated as an ornamental
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishlilac-bell  1Weakley, A. S. 2011. Flora of the southern and middle Atlantic states.
Englishpurple moonflower as Ipomoea turbinata1Gunn, C. R. 1972. Moonflowers, Ipomoea section Calonyction in temperate North America. Brittonia 24:150-168. Note: = Ipomoea turbinata Lag.
Swedishskär månvinda  2Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeNorthern AmericaSouthern MexicoMexicoGuerrero Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
1NativeNorthern AmericaSouthern MexicoMexicoYucatán Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
2Cultivated    also cult. 
4NaturalizedAfricaEast Tropical AfricaTanzania  Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
4NaturalizedAfricaMacaronesiaCabo Verde  Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques & South African National Biodiversity Institute. African flowering plants database (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaSudan  Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
4NaturalizedAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaAngola  Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
4NaturalizedAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaMalawi  Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
4NaturalizedAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaMozambique  Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
4NaturalizedAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaZambia  Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
4NaturalizedAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaZimbabwe  Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
4NaturalizedAfricaWest Tropical AfricaGambia  Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
4NaturalizedAfricaWest Tropical AfricaNigeria  Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
4NaturalizedAfricaWest Tropical AfricaSenegal  Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
4NaturalizedAfricaWest Tropical AfricaSierra Leone  Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateArabian PeninsulaOman  Ghazanfar, S. A. 1992. An annotated catalogue of the vascular plants of Oman. Scripta Botanica Belgica 2
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateChinaChina  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateEastern AsiaJapan  Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.
4NaturalizedAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndia  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4NaturalizedAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentNepal  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4NaturalizedAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentPakistan  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4NaturalizedAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentSri Lanka  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4NaturalizedAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaMyanmar  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4NaturalizedAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaVietnam  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4NaturalizedAsia-TropicalMalesiaIndonesia  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4NaturalizedAsia-TropicalMalesiaPhilippines  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4NaturalizedNorthern AmericaSoutheastern U.S.A.United StatesArkansas Smith, E. B. 1978. An atlas and annotated list of the vascular plants of Arkansas
4NaturalizedNorthern AmericaSoutheastern U.S.A.United StatesFlorida Weakley, A. S. 2011. Flora of the southern and middle Atlantic states.
4NaturalizedNorthern AmericaSoutheastern U.S.A.United StatesGeorgia Weakley, A. S. 2011. Flora of the southern and middle Atlantic states.
4NaturalizedNorthern AmericaSoutheastern U.S.A.United StatesNorth Carolina Weakley, A. S. 2011. Flora of the southern and middle Atlantic states.
4NaturalizedNorthern AmericaSoutheastern U.S.A.United StatesSouth Carolina Weakley, A. S. 2011. Flora of the southern and middle Atlantic states.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazil  Hammel, B. E. et al., eds. 2003-. Manual de plantas de Costa Rica
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanNetherlands AntillesSt. Eustatius Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCentral AmericaCosta Rica  Hammel, B. E. et al., eds. 2003-. Manual de plantas de Costa Rica
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCentral AmericaEl Salvador  Hammel, B. E. et al., eds. 2003-. Manual de plantas de Costa Rica
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCentral AmericaHonduras  Hammel, B. E. et al., eds. 2003-. Manual de plantas de Costa Rica
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCentral AmericaNicaragua  Hammel, B. E. et al., eds. 2003-. Manual de plantas de Costa Rica
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCentral AmericaPanama  Hammel, B. E. et al., eds. 2003-. Manual de plantas de Costa Rica
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaNorthern South AmericaVenezuela  Austin, D. F. & Z. Huáman. 1996. A synopsis of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) in the Americas. Taxon 45:12.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaJujuy Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaSalta Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaParaguay  Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaBolivia  Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaColombia  Hammel, B. E. et al., eds. 2003-. Manual de plantas de Costa Rica
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaEcuadorGuayas Harling, G. & B. Sparre, eds. 1973-. Flora of Ecuador.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaPeru  Austin, D. F. & Z. Huáman. 1996. A synopsis of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) in the Americas. Taxon 45:12.
6Other    probable origin MexicoDavidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
Native
Northern America
  • SOUTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Guerrero, Yucatán]
Cultivated (also cult.)
Naturalized
Africa
  • MACARONESIA: Cabo Verde
  • NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Sudan
  • EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Tanzania
  • WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Gambia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone
  • SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Asia-Temperate
  • ARABIAN PENINSULA: Oman
  • CHINA: China
  • EASTERN ASIA: Japan
Asia-Tropical
  • INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan
  • INDO-CHINA: Myanmar, Vietnam
  • MALESIA: Indonesia, Philippines
Northern America
  • SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina]
Southern America
  • CARIBBEAN: Netherlands Antilles [St. Eustatius]
  • CENTRAL AMERICA: Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador
  • NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Venezuela
  • BRAZIL: Brazil
  • WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador [Guayas], Peru
  • SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina [Jujuy, Salta], Paraguay
Other (probable origin Mexico)

Reference(s)
  1. Austin, D. F. & Z. Huáman. 1996. A synopsis of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) in the Americas. Taxon 45:12.
  2. Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques & South African National Biodiversity Institute. African flowering plants database (on-line resource).
  3. Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
  4. Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
  5. Ghazanfar, S. A. 1992. An annotated catalogue of the vascular plants of Oman. Scripta Botanica Belgica 2
  6. Hammel, B. E. et al., eds. 2003-. Manual de plantas de Costa Rica
  7. Harling, G. & B. Sparre, eds. 1973-. Flora of Ecuador.
  8. Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
  9. Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
  10. Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.
  11. Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
  12. Smith, E. B. 1978. An atlas and annotated list of the vascular plants of Arkansas
  13. Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
  14. Weakley, A. S. 2011. Flora of the southern and middle Atlantic states.
  15. Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
  16. Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Environmentalornamental Gunn, C. R. 1972. Moonflowers, Ipomoea section Calonyction in temperate North America. Brittonia 24:163-166. Note: as Ipomoea turbinata
Human foodvegetable Gunn, C. R. 1972. Moonflowers, Ipomoea section Calonyction in temperate North America. Brittonia 24:163-166. Note: as Ipomoea turbinata
Medicinesfolklore Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
Weedseed contaminantpotentialGunn, C. R. 1972. Moonflowers, Ipomoea section Calonyction in temperate North America. Brittonia 24:163. Note: = Ipomoea turbinata Lagasca
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=402175. Accessed 15 April 2026.