Common Name: Bush morning glory. Tamil Name: Neyvelik kattamanakku
Bush morning glory is a native of South America and grows to a height of about 2 meters. The plant is commonly seen in fallow lands and shallow water bodies in Tamilnadu. The stem of the plant is hallow, grey dotted and produce white sap when wounded. Young leaves have silver colored lines on the lamina. The mature leaf stalk and leaf length is around 4.9 cm and 17 cm respectively. The simple leafs are arranged alternatively. The leaf shape is ovate, base cordate and tip acuminate. The inflorescence is in the form of an axillary cyme: each with 7-8 flowers. The funnel shaped flowers are light pink in color and measure 5 cm in length. The seed is in the form of sub-globose capsule. The plant has five stamens and one style. The plant is considered toxic to cattle. The plant is used a hedge plant in Himalayan regions. The leaves are considered edible. Bush morning glory has invaded several water-bodies in Tamilnadu and is increasingly considered as an invasive.
