Littlebell

Herbs annual. Stems twining or prostrate, glabrous or nodes sparsely pubescent. Petiole 2.5-6 cm, glabrous, sometimes tuberculate; leaf blade broadly ovate to circular in outline, 2.5-7 X 2-6 cm, glabrous or sparsely pilose, base cordate, margin entire or coarsely dentate to deeply 3-lobed. Inflorescences dense umbellate cymes, 1- to several flowered; peduncle 2.5-5.5 cm, glabrous, angular, verruculose distally; bracts lanceolate-oblong, minute. Pedicel 5-7 mm, ± angular, glabrous, verruculose. Sepals slightly unequal, 5-8 mm, glabrous or sparsely pilose abaxially, margin fimbriate, apex obtuse or acute, mucronulate; outer 2 oblong, slightly shorter; inner 3 elliptic-oblong. Corolla pink or pale purple, funnelform, 1.5-2 cm, glabrous; limb obtusely 5-lobed. Stamens included. Pistil included; ovary pubescent. Stigma 2-lobed. Capsule ± globular, 5-6 mm, bristly pubescent, apiculate, 2-loculed, 4-valved. Seeds dark brown, ca. 3.5 mm, glabrous. 2n = 30.

Anhui, Guangdong, S Shaanxi, Taiwan, Zhejiang [Indonesia, Japan (Ryukyu Islands), Malaysia, New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam; North America (native to the West Indies), Pacific Islands, now a circumtropical weed].

Roadsides or fields; 0-800 m.

Batatas triloba (Linnaeus) Choisy; Convolvulus trilobus (Linnaeus) Desrousseaux; Ipomoea blancoi Choisy.

Ipomoea triloba is a species of Ipomoea morning glory known by several common names, including littlebell and Aiea morning glory. It is native to the tropical Americas, but it is widespread in warm areas of the world, where it is an introduced species and often a noxious weed. This is a fast-growing, vining, annual herb producing long, thin stems with ivy-like, petioled, heart-shaped leaves 2.5–6 centimetres (0.98–2.36 in) long. The leaves sometimes, but not always, have three lobes. The vines produce tubular bell-shaped flowers, each about two centimeters long. They are quite variable in color, in shades of pink, red or lavender, with or without white markings.