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14. Ipomoea pes-tlgridis Linn. Sp. PI. 162. 1753. (Fig 153).
CONVOLVULACEAE
Convolvulus pts-figridis Spreng.—Convolvulus bryon'taefolius Salisb - -Convolvulus pj/mata
Moench.— Ipomoea hepaticae/olio Linn.
Engl. Tiger's Foot. Bindweed; Sinh. Diviadiya. Divipahuru: Tarn. Pulichovadi.
Punaikkirai: Sans. Chakra.
An annual, prostrate, twining or straggling herb with long, spreading hair*, leaves
simple, alternate without stipules, 3.5—7.5 cm long, and as broad, rotundale in outline, more
or less deeply and palmately cut into 5, 7 or 9 ovate—acute lobes narrowed at base, hairy on both
sides; petioles 2.3—6.5 cm long with long hair; flowers regular, bisexual, sessile, 2 or more
in a head, bracts oblong-oval, or ovate-oblong, obtuse, hairy, outer ones nearly 2.5 cm long,
inner ones 1 cm long, peduncle 2.5—7 5 cm long, stout, very hairy; sepals 5, imbricate, nearly
equal, 8—12 mm long, lanceolate, very acuminate with copious, long hair, two outer sepals
broader than the inner ones; petals 5, fused into a tubular—campanulate corolla 4 cm long,
limb 2.5 cm diameter, white or pale pink,; stamens 5, filaments usually unequal on the corollatube;
ovary superior, 2-locular with two ovules in each chamber, style simple, stigmas 2, globose;
fruit capsule glabrous concealed in a persistent, hairy calyx, 6—7 mm long, globose;
seeds 4.5 mm long, triquetrous with one phase rounded, pubescent.
Flowers in October.
Illustrations. Rheede, Hort. Ind. Mai. II: p/. 59. 1678—1703; Wight, Ic. PI. Ind.
Orient. 3: pi. 836. 1843—1845; Kirtikar and Basu, Indian Med. Plants, pi. 664. 1933; Herb.
Peradeniya., drawing.
Distribution. Occurs in India, Ceylon, Malaya, China, Polynesia, Philippine Islands
and in tropical Africa. In Ceylon, it is common in the low-country, confined to dry, sandy places.
India. Ganget. Plain., T. Thomson. Maisor and Carnatic, G. Thomson. Ceylon. Thwaites
CP. 1942. North Western Prov., Mannar, Herb. Peradeniya., Feb. 1890. North Central Prov.,
Polonnaruwa, Senaratne 3497, June 1943. Southern Prov., Hambantota, Ruhuna National
Park , Fosberg 50225, April 1968.
Uses. The root of this plant is a purgative. The leaves are used for poulticing sores,
boils and carbuncles. The plant is also used for treatment of rabid dog bites. It is a nervine
and muscular tonic and is used in neurasthenia, debility of old age and paralytic conditions.
It has some aphrodisiacal properties.
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