Crestrib morning glory

Description

Ipomoea costellata is a plant species from the genus of (Ipomoea) from themorning glory family (Convolvulaceae). The species is distributed in Central and North America. Ipomoea costellata is an upright or ascending annual plant, larger specimens can also grow twining. They are sparsely finely haired or nearly hairless. The small leaves have short petioles, the leaf blade covered with fine bristles is divided almost to the base into several linear, entire or lobed segments of up to 1.5 cm in length. The peduncles are filiform, longer than the true leaves, and bear a single flower. The sepals are almost the same length at about 4 mm, linear-elongated or lanceolate-elongated, acuminate, glabrous and almost membranous. The crown has a length of 12 mm, it is hairless, the coronet is purple, the corolla tube white. The fruit is a nearly spherical capsule 6 mm long. The seeds are hairless. The species is distributed in Guatemala and Mexico, as well as in the southwest of the USA, where it grows on shrubby plains or limestone slopes at altitudes between 250 and 1500 m. Within the genus of morning glory (Ipomoea), the species is classified in the section Leptocallis in the subgenus Quamoclit. Two varieties can be distinguished: Ipomoea costellata var. costellata : It occurs from Arizona to Texas and Guatemala. Ipomoea costellata var. edwardsensis O'Kennon & GLNesom : It is found only in Travis County, Texas.