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13. Ipomoea pes-caprae (Linn.) Roth. Nov, Sp. 109. 1821. (Fig. 152).
CONVOLVULACEAE
Ipomoea hitoha Forsk.— Ipomoea tarnosa F.—Vili. — Ipomoea mariiima R. Br. Convolvulus
pes-caprae Linn.—Convolvulus mariiimus Lamk.—Convolvulus bi/obatus Roxb.—Batatas marltima
Bojer.
Engl. Goal's Foot Creeper; Sinh. Mudu-bintamburu; Tarn. Adambu, Adappangodi,
Attukkal, Musattalai; Hindi Dopatilata; Sans. Manmatha, Maravalli. Maryada, Raktapushpa.
Sagara, Sagaramekhala. Yugmapatra.
A prostrate, weak,perennial, not twining nor rooting at nodes with cylindrical, very long,
glabrous and reddish stems, internodes 5.5—14 cm long, roots with a thick brown bark, leaves
simple, alternate, 2.5—6.5 cm long, 3.5—8.5 cm broad, deeply bilobed, lobes obliquely
oval spreading, sub-coriaceous, glabrous, venation conspicuous on the lower surface and reddish,
pellucid, midrib terminating in a mucro between the lobes; petioles 5—10 cm long,
erect, glabrous, reddish with 2 glandular spots at the summit; flowers regular, bisexual, very
large, 5.5 cm long, solitary or 2 or 3 together, purplish-rose, on pedicels 2—3.7 cm long, bracts
lanceolate, falling early, peduncle erect, 2—55 cm long; sepals 5 imbricate, 0.8—1.2 cm
long, 0.7—1 cm broad, broadly oval, subacute or obtuse, mucronate; petals 5, fused into a
widely funnel-shaped corolla, 5.5—7.5 cm diameter; stamens 5, unequal, on cbrolla-tube,
filaments dilated and hairy at base; ovary superior, 2 mm long, 2-Iocuiar with two ovules in
each chamber, style 1.9 cm long, stigma globular, 2-lobed; fruit capsule 1.2 cm long, ovoid,
glabrous; seeds pubescent, dark brown.
Flowers from October to December.
• Illustrations. Edward, Bot. Reg. pi. 319. Rumph., Herb. Ambo. 5:pi. \59,fig. I. 1747;
Rhecde. Herb. Mai. \ \: pi. 57. 1678—1703; Kirtikar and Basu, Indian Med. Plants, pi. 667,4.
1933; Herb. Peradeniya, drawing.
Distribution. Grows along the sea shores of both hemispheres. In Ceylon, it is very
common on the sandy seashore all round the island.
India. Maisor and Carnalic, C, Thomson. Chittagong: J. D. Hooker and T. Thomson.
Ceylon. Thwaites CP. 1934. Northern Prov., Talaimannar, J. M. Silva, July 1916. Eastern Prov.,
Pottuvil, F. W. de Silva, March 1929. Maldive Islands. Didi 41, 1896; Minikoi, Gardiner 19,
1899—1900. Philippine Islands. Luzon: Prov. of Union, Bauang, Elmer 5649, Feb. 1904.
Composition. Contains a volatile oil, a complex resin, fat, phytosterol, bitter substances
and red colouring matter.
Uses. The leaves are applied externally for rheumatism, colic and as a paste on boils and
carbuncles. The juice is given as a diuretic in dropsy. In Madagascar the leaves are frequently
used for inflammation of the legs, prolapsus ani, whitlow, colic and rheumatism. In the Philippines,
the leaves are employed as an escharotic to extirpate the fungoid growth in ulcers. It
is used as a purgative in Brazil. In Australia, the boiled leaf is applied as an anodyne in colic
and rheumatism. The boiled tuber is diuretic and brings relief to diseases of the bladder. The
seed is used for treating stomachache and cramps.
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