Family Profile: Convolvulaceae
Pictured above: Saltmarsh morning glory (Ipomoea sagittata) by Emily Bell
43 species native to Florida
Source: Atlas of Florida Plants
Note: Recognized taxa may differ between sources, depending on which taxonomic approach is followed.
Family characteristics
The Morning glory family consists of more than 1,600 species worldwide. While it is primarily composed of herbaceous vines, the family also includes some trees, shrubs and herbs.
The flowers in this family share a consistent structure: a funnel-shaped corolla with five sepals and five fused petals. Another distinguishing feature is their winding stems, which inspired the family name — convolvere is Latin for “to wind.”
Photo by Betsy Harris
Photo by Emily Bell
Interesting facts
The common name Morning glory refers to a characteristic habit of many species in this family: their flowers open early in the day and often fade by afternoon.
Perhaps the most surprising genus within Convolvaceae is Cuscata, commonly referred to as dodders. These parasitic vines have yellow to red stems that appear leafless — though they actually have minute scale-like leaves. Before being placed within the Morning glory family, they were considered the sole genus of a separate family, Cuscutaceae.
The Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is also a member of this family.
