Ipomoea ochracea
(fence morning-glory)

Pictures

Picture	Title	Caption	Copyright
Title Flowers Caption Ipomoea ochracea (yellow or fence morning-glory); flowers. Makawao, Maui, Hawaii. April, 2008. Copyright ©Forest Starr & Kim Starr - CC BY 4.0	Flowers	Ipomoea ochracea (yellow or fence morning-glory); flowers. Makawao, Maui, Hawaii. April, 2008.	©Forest Starr & Kim Starr - CC BY 4.0
Title Habit Caption Ipomoea ochracea (yellow or fence morning-glory); habit. Makawao, Maui, Hawaii. September, 2005. Copyright ©Forest Starr & Kim Starr - CC BY 4.0	Habit	Ipomoea ochracea (yellow or fence morning-glory); habit. Makawao, Maui, Hawaii. September, 2005.	©Forest Starr & Kim Starr - CC BY 4.0
Title Lleaves Caption Ipomoea ochracea (yellow or fence morning-glory); leaves. Makawao, Maui, Hawaii. November, 2006. Copyright ©Forest Starr & Kim Starr - CC BY 4.0	Lleaves	Ipomoea ochracea (yellow or fence morning-glory); leaves. Makawao, Maui, Hawaii. November, 2006.	©Forest Starr & Kim Starr - CC BY 4.0
Title Seeds Caption Ipomoea ochracea (yellow or fence morning-glory); seeds. PKW Base LZ, Maui, February, 2009. Copyright ©Forest Starr & Kim Starr - CC BY 4.0	Seeds	Ipomoea ochracea (yellow or fence morning-glory); seeds. PKW Base LZ, Maui, February, 2009.	©Forest Starr & Kim Starr - CC BY 4.0

Identity

Preferred Scientific Name

• Ipomoea ochracea (Lindl.) G. Don

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

Summary of Invasiveness

I. ochracea is a vine species included in the Global Compendium of Weeds (Randall, 2012). It is listed as invasive in Hawaii, New Caledonia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands where it is also considered a weed mainly in ruderal and disturbed sites (Wagner et al., 1999; Acevedo and Strong, 2012; Randall, 2012). I. ochracea was introduced as an ornamental species from Africa into new habitats throughout the tropics. It has escaped from cultivation and has successfully colonized natural areas in coastal and riparian forests, thickets, grassland, river edges, river banks and disturbed sites (Goncalves, 1987; MacKee, 1994; Wagner et al., 1999).

Taxonomic Tree

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

Notes on Taxonomy and Nomenclature

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).

Description

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).

Plant Type

Distribution

I. ochracea is native to tropical Africa (Goncalves, 1987), but is now naturalized in Australia, India, Hawaii, New Caledonia, Madeira, Panama, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the US Virgin Islands, and Venezuela (Acevedo-Rodríguez and Strong, 2012; Shimpale et al., 2012; DAISIE, 2014; USDA-ARS, 2014).

Distribution Table

The distribution in this summary table is based on all the information available. When several references are cited, they may give conflicting information on the status. Further details may be available for individual references in the Distribution Table Details section which can be selected by going to Generate Report.

History of Introduction and Spread

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).

Risk of Introduction

The risk of introduction of I. ochracea is moderate to high. This species behaves as a weed in open and disturbed habitats. Under favourable conditions such as full sun, plenty of moisture and fertile soil, it can grow very rapidly, smothering native vegetation. I. ochracea also has the potential to grow as a climbing plant, which allows it to compete effectively with native trees and shrubs on the edges of forests and along riparian zones (Goncalves, 1987; MacKee, 1994; Wagner et al., 1999).

Habitat

Within its native distribution range, I. ochracea has been reported growing in riparian woodland, thickets, grassland, river edges and river banks, on sandy soil and in wet places from 500 to 1525 m (Goncalves, 1987). In Hawaii, it is naturalized in disturbed mesic sites (Wagner et al., 1999), while in New Caledonia it is locally abundant along roadsides (MacKee, 1994).

Habitat List

Biology and Ecology

Genetics

The chromosome number reported for I. ochracea is 2n = 30 (Wagner et al., 1999). 

Reproductive Biology and Phenology

In Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, I. ochracea has been collected in flower and fruit from December to February (Acevedo-Rodriguez, 2005). Flowers within the genus Ipomoea are bisexual and actinomorphic and probably pollinated by insects (Galetto and Bernardello, 2004).

Climate

Soil Tolerances

Soil drainage

• free

Soil reaction

• neutral

Soil texture

• light
• medium

Pathway Causes

Pathway Vectors

Impact Summary

Environmental Impact

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).

Risk and Impact Factors

• 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

Uses

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

Uses List

Ornamental

• Potted plant
• Propagation material
• Seed trade

References

Acevedo-Rodríguez P, 2005. Vines and climbing plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium, 51:483 pp.

Acevedo-Rodríguez P; Strong MT, 2012. Catalogue of the Seed Plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany, 98:1192 pp. Washington DC, USA: Smithsonian Institution. http://botany.si.edu/Antilles/WestIndies/catalog.htm

DAISIE, 2014. Delivering Alien Invasive Species Inventories for Europe. European Invasive Alien Species Gateway. www.europe-aliens.org/default.do

Galetto L; Bernardello G, 2004. Floral nectaries, nectar production dynamics and chemical composition in six Ipomoea species (Convolvulaceae) in relation to pollinators. Annals of Botany, 94(2):269-280.

Goncalves ML, 1987. Convolvulaceae. In: Flora Zambesiaca [ed. by Launert, E.]. Suffolk, UK: St. Edmundsbury Press Ltd, 9-129.

Graveson R, 2012. The Plants of Saint Lucia (in the Lesser Antilles of the Caribbean). The Plants of Saint Lucia (in the Lesser Antilles of the Caribbean). http://www.saintlucianplants.com

Hokche O; Berry PE; Huber O, 2008. Nuevo Catálogo de la Flora Vascular de Venezuela (New catalogue of the vascular flora of Venezuela). Caracas, Venezuela: Fundación Instituto Botánico de Venezuela, 860 pp.

Liogier A, 1965. Nomenclatural changes and additions to Britton and Wilson's Flora of Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Rhodora, 67:315-361.

López M; Ramírez N, 2004. [English title not available]. (Composición florística y abundancia de las especies en un remanente de bosque deciduo secundario.) Acta Biologica Venezuelica, 24:29-71.

MacKee HS, 1994. Catalogue of introduced and cultivated plants in New Caledonia. (Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie.) Paris, France: Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, unpaginated.

Miller RE; Rausher MD; Manos PS, 1999. Phylogenetic systematics of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) based on ITS and Waxy sequences. Systematic Botany, 24(2):209-227.

Randall RP, 2012. A Global Compendium of Weeds. Perth, Australia: Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, 1124 pp. http://www.cabi.org/isc/FullTextPDF/2013/20133109119.pdf

Shimpale VB; Kshirsagar PR; Pawar NV, 2012. Ipomoea ochracea (Convolvulaceae): A new record for India. Rheedea, 22:99-102.

Stevens PF, 2012. Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/research/APweb/

USDA-ARS, 2014. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online Database. Beltsville, Maryland, USA: National Germplasm Resources Laboratory. https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomysearch.aspx

Wagner WL; Herbst DR; Sohmer SH, 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Volume 2. Honolulu, Hawaii, USA: University of Hawaii Press. [Bishop Museum Special Publication 97.]

Links to Websites

Contributors

24/02/14 Original text by:

Julissa Rojas-Sandoval, Department of Botany-Smithsonian NMNH, Washington DC, USA

Pedro Acevedo-Rodríguez, Department of Botany-Smithsonian NMNH, Washington DC, USA

Distribution Maps