Ipomoea Alba, Evening glory,  Giant moonflower, Moonflower vine

Ipomoea Alba, sometimes called the tropical white morning-glory or moonflower or moon vine is a species of night-blooming morning glory belonging to Convolvulaceae (Morning-glory family). Though previously classified as genus Calonyction, species aculeatum, it is now properly assigned to genus Ipomoea, subgenus Quamoclit, and section Calonyction. The plant is native to tropical and subtropical regions of North America (i.e. south-eastern USA and Mexico), Central America (i.e. Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama), the Caribbean (i.e. Bahamas, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti) and South America (i.e. French Guiana, Guyana, Surinam, Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, and Argentina). Apart from moonflower, it is also known as evening glory,  giant moonflower, moonflower vine, tropical white morning glory, white morning glory, moonflower, moon vine, white-flowered morning glory, Good night flower, and prickly Ipomoea.

Genus name comes from the Greek words ips meaning “worm” and homoios meaning “resembling”, in a possible reference to the sprawling underground roots of plants in this genus. On the other hand, some experts suggest the genus name is in reference to the worm-like twining plant habit. Specific epithet Alba refers to the white color of the flowers. It derives from the Latin word album for a writing tablet now used to mean white in reference to the tablets historically being white. The common names of Moonflower or Lady-of-the-night refer to the flowers habit of opening at night, it attracts night pollinating moths to the fragrant flowers and they are being round in shape like a full moon. The plant is occasionally harvested from the wild for local use as food and medicine. It is often grown as an ornamental, where it quickly can provide a temporary screen or barrier.

Moonflower Facts

Plant Description

Moonflower is a short-lived, fast-growing, old-fashioned, annual, or perennial herbaceous liana that normally grows about 5–30 m tall with twining stems. The plant is found growing in watercourses, riparian areas, moist forests, wet forests, urban bushland, and disturbed areas (e.g. in parks, along roadsides, and along railway lines) in the subtropical and tropical regions. It grows in moist habitats on sandy and loamy well-drained soil.  Its stems are hairless (i.e. glabrous), but the aerial climbing stems sometimes have numerous small projections.

Leaves

Its relatively large leaves are alternately arranged along the stems. They are 5-20 cm long and 4-20 cm wide. They are borne on 5-18 cm long stalks (i.e. petioles) and are slightly thick or occasionally even slightly fleshy in nature. These leaves are usually strongly heart-shaped (i.e. cordate) with pointed tips (i.e. acute? apices), but can sometimes be slightly lobed.

Flowers

The large trumpet-shaped flowers have a very long and narrow greenish-white floral tube that is 7- 15 cm long and five large white spreading lobes (10-15 cm wide). They are borne in several-flowered clusters, or occasionally singly, in the leaf forks. These flowers open at night, hence the common name “moonflower”, and usually wither by early the next morning. They have five small sepals that are 5-20 mm long with pointed tips and are borne on 7-15 mm long stalks. Each flower has five whitish-colored stamens and a style that are exerted from the end of the floral tube. The flowers also tend to remain open longer during cool temperatures – which may also cause the segments to snag or tear as they open. Flowering occurs during summer and autumn.

Fruit

Fertile flowers are followed by a small capsule that is 2-3 cm long with a pointed tip. As the fruit matures the flower stalk becomes enlarged, and when fully mature the fruit turns from green to dark brown or blackish in color. It then splits open to release four large, hairless, whitish-colored seeds that are about 10 mm long.

The Mesoamerican civilizations used the Ipomoea Alba morning glory to convert the latex from the Castilla elastica tree to produce bouncing rubber balls. The sulfur in this morning’s glory served to cross-link the rubber, a process predating Charles Goodyear’s discovery of vulcanization by at least 3,000 years. Moon Vine is native to American tropics but has naturalized in many places where it was introduced.

Traditional uses and benefits of Moonflower

• The whole herb is used in treating snakebite.
• The root bark is purgative and leaves used in filariasis.
• Leaves are used as vegetables and also used to cure various diseases in the Anjangaon region Dist. Amravati.
• This species of Ipomoea is also known to cure constipation?, boils, and wounds.
• In Cameroonian tradition, Ipomoea Alba is used as an anti-diabetic agent, laxative and also improves breast milk quality and helps in losing weight.
• Arial parts are used as antipyretic, hypotensive, and emollient.
• Leaves are used to treat headaches.
• The root bark is used as a purgative.

Culinary Uses

• Young leaves and fleshy calyces are consumed after being cooked.
• It is also steamed and eaten as a vegetable or used in curries, soups, stews etc.
• They can also be dried for later use.
• Seed can be eaten when young.
• Fresh leaves of Ipomoea Alba are used as vegetables and also medicines.

Other facts

• Ipomoea Alba has been widely commercialized as an ornamental plant for its showy white flowers.
• In the Caribbean and South America, this species is used as a laxative, fever? reducer, soap substitute, and as food for pigs
• Mesoamerican peoples used the moonflower to convert latex from the Castilla elastica tree to produce bouncing rubber balls.
• In some areas, it is considered an invasive species and can cause problems in agricultural settings.

Side effects of Moonflower

Listed below is some of the common side effects of using Moonflower

Nervous System Effects

Moonflower consists of several compounds poisonous to the human body, including atropine and scopolamine, which both interfere with the nervous system. The CDC reports that a person who has ingested Moonflower may experience hallucinations, anxiety, confusion and, in some cases, coma. Nervous-system effects generally take place within 1 hour of Moonflower ingestion and may last 24 to 48 hours, according to the CDC.

Hallucinations

Hallucinations from Moonflower may be either visual or auditory. A November 2006 report in “USA Today” titled “Jimson Weed Users Chase High all the Way to Hospital” reports that some people have severe hallucinations and become a threat to themselves or others.

Hyperthermia

Hyperthermia, or high body temperature, may also occur from Moonflower ingestion, as the plant interferes with the body’s ability to cool itself. A person may also experience flushing of the skin and skin that is dry and hot to the touch.

Cardiovascular Effects

Moonflower increases pulse rate and raises blood pressure. The chemical atropine, which consists of in Moonflower, may cause cardiac arrhythmia?, or an abnormal heart rhythm, which may lead to cardiac arrest, according to a 2002 article in “The Permanente Journal” titled “Jimson Weed Poisoning—A Case Report.”

Prevention and Control

Due to the variable regulations around (de)registration of pesticides, your national list of registered pesticides or relevant authorities should be consulted to determine which products are legally allowed for use in your country when considering chemical control. Pesticides should always be used in a lawful manner, consistent with the product’s label.

Physical/Mechanical Control

Seedlings are weak and easy to pull or hoe. Small infestations can be cut near the base of the plant and the roots dug out by hand. For larger infestations with many stems, cutting and subsequent applications of herbicides are required.

Chemical Control

The herbicides 2, 4-D, atrazine, diquat, diuron, glyphosate, oxyfluorfen, procainamide and simazine are recommended for annual morning glory species. For large infestations, the stems can be cut higher up (breast height) causing the upper growth to die. Then the basal stems can be cut closer to the ground, followed by an undiluted (or up to 1: 3 dilution) dose of an herbicide onto the stems.

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