Family: Convolvulaceae
Common name: Arrow-leaf morning glory, African morning vine, Merremia tridentata, Thalaneeli
Arrow-leaf morning glory is a quick-growing, climbing or recumbent vine that produces small, whitish-yellow flowers. They are very common in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Australia, seen in the wild in most places.
Plant characteristics
Arrow-leaf morning glory plants can grow to a length of over 4 meters with long, wiry stems that can grow and spread quickly.
These plants can climb on fences, trellises, supporting structures, or surrounding vegetation. The stem of Arrow-leaf morning glory is covered with fine hairs that help them adhere to surfaces.
Leaves of the plant have an arrow-head like shape, giving the plant its name. Each leaf is 5-8 cm long with a pointed tip and a base that has three distinct lobes, from which comes the name tridentata.
Arrow-leaf morning glory plants bloom during summer and spring, producing delicate, trumpet-shaped flowers that are white or pale yellow with a darker-colored center. The stamens and style are prominently visible at the center.
Flowers are 2-3 in diameter with fused petals, standing tall above the level of the foliage. The plant also produces small, rounded capsules that are .5-.75 cm in diameter containing numerous seeds.
Gardening tips
Arrow-leaf morning glory plants thrive in bright, direct sunlight, growing and blooming very well. They can grow in the shade of large trees, but not in complete shade or indoors. These are essentially wild plants that do not need watering or fertilization.
In tropical countries, these plants grow and flower during the rainy season, and so their water requirements are taken care of. When grown in gardens, you can prune the vines to ensure they don’t strangle nearby plants.
Make sure they are provided with trellises or supporting structures to climb on, so that they don’t spread on the ground, or on other plants. Arrow-leaf morning glory plants are generally resistant to pests and fungal infections.
These plants are closely related to other morning glory plants like Ipomoea staphylina or Clustered morning glory, Ipomoea quamoclit or Cypress vine, Ipomoea triloba or Little bell, Ipomoea hederifolia or Scarlet morning glory and many more.
Uses of the Plant
Though Arrow-leaf morning glory plants are considered as weeds, they can be grown in home garden in pots or in hanging baskets. They make excellent ground cover since these plants grow very quickly covering large areas.
Parts of the plant have medicinal uses in the treatment of toothache, snake bites, eye infections, fever, and stomach disorders.
Propagation
Propagation is through seeds and stem cuttings.
The plant is capable of self-seeding, producing small plants near it. They can also be propagated by cutting small pieces of stem with sufficient nodes, and planting them in the soil.
In fact, this makes it difficult to remove these plants completely from the soil. Any small piece of stem left over can produce a new plant fairly quickly.
Photographed at: Lunuganga, Sri Lanka
