Biology:Ipomoea calobra

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Short description: Australian native plant

Ipomoea calobra
Ipomoea calobra.jpg
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Solanales
Family: Convolvulaceae
Genus: Ipomoea
Species:
I. calobra
Binomial name
Ipomoea calobra
W.Hill & F.Muell.[1]

Ipomoea calobra, commonly known as weir vine, is an Australian native plant[2] found in northern Australia , largely Western Australia and Queensland.[3]

Description

It is a climber growing up to 6 m high, with purple-blue-pink trumpet flowers from January to June.[2]

Habitat

It occurs on undulating plains, dunes, and hardpans in red sandy and clayey soils, and pebbly loam,[2] and is often found twined up mulga and other acacias.[4]

Uses

The tubers of this species are edible, and were a highly favoured staple food source (bush tucker) for Indigenous Australians.[4] The mature tubers are broadly similar nutritionally to sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), with higher concentrations of starch, potassium (K), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn).[5]

Aboriginal names

In some parts of Australia, I. calobra is also known to Aboriginal people by the following names:[5]

  • Murchison-Gascoyne area (WA): kulyu
  • Tjupan Ngalia group (Leonora, WA): wutha/wather

References

  1. "Ipomoea calobra". Australian Plant Census. https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/93742. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Grazyna Paczkowska (8 November 1996). "Ipomoea calobra W.Hill & F.Muell. Weir Vine". Western Australian Herbarium. https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/6621. 
  3. "Occurrence records". Atlas of Living Australia. https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=ipomoea+calobra#tab_mapView. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 Low, Tim (1991). Wild Food Plants of Australia. Angus & Robertson. p. 163. ISBN 0207169306. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 Woodall, G.; Moule, M.; Eckersley, P.; Boxshall, B.; Puglisi, B. (2010). "New Root Vegetables for the Native Food Industry: Promising Selections from south Western Australia's tuberous flora (09/161)". Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. http://aff.org.au/wp-content/uploads/RIRDC_09-161.pdf. 

Wikidata ☰ Q17398925 entry