Convolvulaceae – Bindweed or Morning Glory
Plant Family
Convolvulaceae – Bindweed Family
Convolvulaceae is commonly known as the bindweed family that contains several plants that are called ‘morning glory’. There are around 60 genera in the family estimated to contain at least 1650 species.
The main characteristics of the plant family is the way they climb by winding around any plant stem or structure, and that can be considered as invasive. They also often have bold colourful trumpet or funnel shaped flowers.
One standout member of the family is the sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas or as sometimes called in the US, yam. Different plant tubers are called yams depending on location. The normal potato, Solanum tuberosum, is not of this family but rather the Solanaceae family.
The genera include such plants as the Ipomoea, the largest genera with over 600 species, Convolvulus with over 200 species. Cuscuta, a parasitic plant that lives of other plants, Calystegia, the giant bindweed usually seen as a problem to get rid of. Other names that come into the mix are morning glory, moonflower, dodder and Hawaiian woodrose.
These plants proliferate natively in mainly tropical and sub-tropical zones, but rarely at a high altitude or cold climate.
