Ipomoea ochracea
(fence morning-glory)

Preferred Common Name

• fence morning-glory

Other Scientific Names

• Ipomoea curtisii House
• Ipomoea ochracea var. curtissii (House) Stearn

International Common Names

• English: African morning glory; yellow morning-glory

• Domain: Eukaryota
•     Kingdom: Plantae
•         Phylum: Spermatophyta
•             Subphylum: Angiospermae
•                 Class: Dicotyledonae
•                     Order: Solanales
•                         Family: Convolvulaceae
•                             Genus: Ipomoea
•                                 Species: Ipomoea ochracea

The family Convolvulaceae includes about 57 genera and 1625 species (Stevens, 2012). Ipomoea is one of the dominant genera within this family with approximately 650 species, mainly distributed in tropical and warm temperate regions of the world and known as “morning glories” (Miller et al., 1999). Most of the species within this genus are twining climbing plants and include annual and perennial herbs, lianas, shrubs and small trees (Miller et al., 1999).

I. ochracea is a slightly woody vine, twining, attaining 5 m in length, with scarce watery latex. Stems are cylindrical, slender, and pubescent. Leaves are alternate; blades simple, 3-10 × 2.5-7.5 cm, ovate, chartaceous, glabrous except for some hairs on the veins, the apex acuminate and usually mucronate, the margins entire or sinuate; upper and lower surface with the veins slightly prominent, the lower surface usually glaucous; petioles 2-6 cm long, pubescent. Flowers solitary or in double dichasia, axillary; peduncles slightly longer than the petioles; bracts ovate, approximately 1.6 mm long. Calyx green, not accrescent, of 5 subequal sepals, 5-7 mm long, chartaceous, ovate or oblong-ovate, glabrous, punctate; corolla pale yellow, with the base of the tube purple inside, infundibuliform, 3-4 cm long, the limb with 5 shallow, rounded lobes; stamens and stigmas white, not exserted. Capsule ovoid, glabrous, with a thin pericarp, 1.3-1.6 cm long, stramineous, with the sepals persistent, not accrescent at the base; 4 seeds per fruit, 4-5 mm long, black, dull, glabrous (Acevedo-Rodríguez, 2005).

I. ochracea was introduced as an ornamental species from Africa into new habitats throughout the tropics (Goncalves, 1987; Acevedo-Rodríguez, 2005). However, the date of introduction of this species for most regions is unknown. In Puerto Rico, it was first reported in 1965 by A.H. Liogier for areas in the southern portion of the island (Liogier, 1965). In 2012, I. ochracea was reported for the first time in India, specifically for the area of the Western Ghats (Shimpale et al., 2012).

Soil drainage

• free

Soil reaction

• neutral

Soil texture

• light
• medium

I. ochracea commonly invades riparian and coastal forests, thickets, grassland, river edges and river banks, smothering native vegetation. It is a climbing plant which competes effectively with native trees and shrubs on the edges of forests and along riparian zones. It also invades forest margins, where it grows over larger trees, smothering trees, seedlings and understorey vegetation (Goncalves, 1987; MacKee, 1994; Wagner et al., 1999).

• Proved invasive outside its native range
• Has a broad native range
• Tolerates, or benefits from, cultivation, browsing pressure, mutilation, fire etc
• Pioneering in disturbed areas
• Long lived
• Fast growing

• Ecosystem change/ habitat alteration
• Host damage
• Monoculture formation
• Reduced native biodiversity
• Threat to/ loss of native species

• Causes allergic responses
• Competition - monopolizing resources
• Competition - shading
• Competition - smothering
• Rapid growth

• Highly likely to be transported internationally deliberately

I. ochracea has been widely cultivated as an ornamental (Acevedo-Rodriguez, 2005).