1160

 Ipomoea aquatica Forssk

Synonym	:	Ipomoea reptans Poir.
Family	:	CONVOLVULACEAE
Local name	:	English      -   Water-spinach                Malayalam - Kozhuppa
Flowering and fruiting period	:	November-March
Distribution	:	Pantropics
Distribution in kerala	:	Kottayam, Alappuzha, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Palakkad, Malappuram
Habitat	:	Ponds and lakes. Naturalized
Uses	:	Ornamental
Key Botanical Characters. Creeping or floating aquatic herbs, stems hollow, rooting at the nodes. Leaves alternate, varies in form, usually oblong-lanceate or narrowly triangular, 5-10 by 2-6 cm, base hastate, apex acute; petiole 6-10 cm long. Flowers purplish-white, solitary or few in cymes. Sepals subequal, 6-8 mm long, oblong-lanceolate, membranous, glabrous. Corolla funnel-form, c. 5 cm long, pale purple to nearly white, tube to 2 cm long, lobes obscure. Stamens included, filaments unequal, hairy at the base.Ovary glabrous. Capsule globose; seeds 4 or 2, minutely pubescent.