Merremia aegyptia (L.) Urb.
synonym | Batatas pentaphylla (L.) Choisy |
synonym | Batatas pentaphylla Choisy |
synonym | Convolvulus aegyptius (L.) L. |
synonym | Convolvulus aphyllus Viv. |
synonym | Convolvulus coriaceus Herb. ex Choisy |
synonym | Convolvulus hirsutus Roxb. |
synonym | Convolvulus munitus Wall. |
synonym | Convolvulus nemorosus Willd. ex Roem. & Schult. |
synonym | Convolvulus pentaphyllus L. |
synonym | Convolvulus royeni Steud. |
synonym | Convolvulus serpens L. |
synonym | Convolvulus tenuifolius Buch.-Ham. ex Wall. |
synonym | Convolvulus vitifolius Burm. f. |
synonym | Distimake aegyptius (L.) A.R.Simões & Staples |
synonym | Ipomoea aegyptia L. |
synonym | Ipomoea nemorosa G. Don |
synonym | Ipomoea pentaphylla (L.) Jacq. |
synonym | Ipomoea pilosa Cav. |
synonym | Ipomoea polytricha Sweet |
synonym | Ipomoea sinaloensis Brandegee |
synonym | Ipomoea tortugensis Peter |
synonym | Ipomoea verniciflua Meisn. |
synonym | Merremia aegyptia (L.) Gamble |
synonym | Merremia pentaphylla (L.) Hall. fil. |
synonym | Merremia pentaphylla Hallier f. |
synonym | Milhania pentaphyla (Choisy) Rafin. |
synonym | Operculina aegyptia (L.) House |
synonym | Operculina pentaphylla House |
synonym | Spiranthera aegyptia (L.) Roberty |
synonym | Spiranthera pentaphylla (L.) Boj. |
synonym | Spiranthera pentaphylla Bojer |
Creoles and pidgins; French-based |
|
French |
|
Malagasy |
|
Merremia aegyptia is lianescent voluble plant, which can reach 3 to 4 meters in length, covered with yellow spiky brown silky hairs. The leaves are alternate, long-stalked, with compound palmate lamina, composed of 5 sessile leaflets, elliptical to lanceolate in shape, wedged base and acuminate or acute apex. The margin is entire. Both sides are covered with yellow brown hairs. The inflorescence is a contracted axillary cyme, driven by a stalk longer than the petiole of the corresponding leaf. It consists of 1 to 9 stalked flowers. The flower is campanulate, white in color, 2 to 3 cm long. The fruit is a globular capsule opening in 4 valves each containing a smooth seed, light brown.
Cotyledons
The cotyledons are kidney-shaped, shortly petiolate, broadly emarginate at the top, seeming almost bi-lobed and with a cordate base. They are large in size, broader than long, measuring 20 to 25 mm long and 25 to 30 mm wide. The leaf blade is smooth but marked by 3 to 5 palmate veins emerging from the base.
First leaves
The first leaves are alternate, palmately compound with 5 sessile elliptical leaflets. The terminal leaflet is the longest. The ribs are clearly marked on the upper face and protruding on the underside. Both sides are covered with yellow brown hairs.
General habit
Merremia aegyptia is an annual, herbaceous, lianescent and voluble species, with well-branched stem, measuring 3 to 4 meters long and wraps around any medium.
Underground system
The plant has a taproot system, violet in colour.
Stem
The stem is cylindrical and solid, 2 to 4 mm in diameter with internodes of 10 to 12 cm long. It is strongly pubescent with long erect hairs, yellow-brown in colour.
Leaf
The leaves are alternate, compound, and palmate. They are carried by a small stalk, 5 to 10 cm long, usually shorter than the leaf blade and covered with shaggy hairs, yellow brown in color. The palmatisect lamina is composed of 5 sessile leaflets, elliptical in shape with attenuated base in vertex and long acuminate apex. The margin is entire. The upper surface is hairy with long shaggy hairs, yellow brown in colour. The underside is pubescent, mainly along the protruding venations.
Inflorescence
The inflorescence is an axillary contracted cyme, borne by a shaggy stalk, 15 to 20 cm long (longer than the petiole of the adjacent leaf). The inflorescence comprises 1-9 flowers carried by a pedicel of 1 to 5 cm in length with the base of small bracts lanceolate triangular 3 to 4 mm long, quickly deciduous.
Flower
The calyx consists of 5 irregular sepals with oval base and acuminate top, 2 cm long. The three outer sepals are hispid and become accrescent at fruiting while two internal sepals are glabrous and narrower and shorter. Corolla is campanulate, formed of five petals fused into funnel, 2 to 3 cm long and 3 to 5 cm in diameter. It is white in colour. The 5 stamens have their filament inserted at the base of the corolla 6 to 8 mm long and do not exceed the corolla tube. The anthers are 3.5 to 4 mm long. The ovary is globular, glabrous, 4 loculus, topped by a threadlike style, as long as stamens, and a bi-lobed stigma.
Fruit
The fruit is a sub-globular to ovoid capsule, pointed at the top, light brown, 10 to 15 mm in diameter with 4 valves each containing a seed. Under the fruit, are the spreading sepals.
Seed
Seeds globular, sub-trigonal, 4 mm long, smooth, light brown.
Attributions | Wiktrop |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Life cycle
Madagascar: Flowering and fruiting of Merremia aegyptia take place towards the end of the rainy season in sub humid and semi-arid areas.
Mayotte: Merremia aegyptia flowers from April to September and fruits from June to October.
Reunion: Flowering starts in May with a maximum in June. The still tender seeds that fall to the ground during a cut of the sugar cane at the very beginning of the campaign can germinate immediately. The plants resulting from these germinations will bloom very quickly from very poorly developed individuals because of short days. The mature, dry seeds go dormant and germinate only in the warm, rainy season (December, January). December - January seedlings do not begin to bloom until the days are shortened in May. They then reached a very strong development. The plants dry up completely and die at the end of the dry season.
Attributions | Wiktrop |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Attributions | Wiktrop |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Growth form
Liana climbing structure
Leaf arrangement
Leaf type
Type of prefoliation
Compound leaf type
Latex
Stem section
Root type
Hollow or solid stem
Stipule type
Leaf attachment type
Fruit type
Cotyledon type
Lamina base
Lamina margin
Lamina apex
Upperface pilosity
Upperface hair type
Lowerface pilosity
Lowerface hair type
Lamina section
Lamina Veination
Flower color
Inflorescence type
Stem pilosity
Stem hair type
Life form
flower color | leaf shape | flower size | species | |||
red |
cordate entire to trilobed with tines |
L 2,5-3 cm diam 2-2,5 cm |
Ipomoea hederifolia | |||
pinnate |
L 3-3,5 cm diam 1,5-2 cm |
Ipomoea quamoclit | ||||
pink |
hastate entire |
L 4-5 cm diam 5-8 cm |
Ipomoea aquatica | |||
cordate trilobed |
L 2 cm diam 1,8-2,5 cm |
Ipomoea triloba | ||||
sagitate entire |
L 0,6-1 cm diam 1-1,5 cm |
Ipomoea eriocarpa | ||||
blue violet |
cordate entire to trilobed |
L 5-7 cm diam 7 cm |
Ipomoea indica | |||
cordate entire |
L 2,5-5 cm diam 4-6 cm |
Ipomoea purpurea | ||||
blue |
cordate trilobed |
L 5-6 cm diam 4-6 cm |
Ipomoea nil | |||
white |
sagitate entire |
L 0,6-1 cm diam 1-1,5 cm |
Ipomoea eriocarpa | |||
cordate entire |
L 1,5-2,5 cm diam 1,5-2 cm |
Ipomoea obscura | ||||
palmate |
L 2-3 cm diam 3-5 cm |
Merremia aegyptia | ||||
cordate entire to trilobed |
L 7-12 cm diam 8-10 cm |
Ipomoea alba | ||||
yellow |
cordate entire |
L 3-4 cm diam 4-6 cm |
Ipomoea ochracea | |||
cordate entire |
L 2-3 cm diam 2-3 cm |
Merremia umbellata |
.
Attributions | |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
flower color | leaf shape | flower size | species | |||
red |
cordate entire to trilobed with tines |
L 2,5-3 cm diam 2-2,5 cm |
Ipomoea hederifolia | |||
pinnate |
L 3-3,5 cm diam 1,5-2 cm |
Ipomoea quamoclit | ||||
pink |
hastate entire |
L 4-5 cm diam 5-8 cm |
Ipomoea aquatica | |||
cordate trilobed |
L 2 cm diam 1,8-2,5 cm |
Ipomoea triloba | ||||
sagitate entire |
L 0,6-1 cm diam 1-1,5 cm |
Ipomoea eriocarpa | ||||
blue violet |
cordate entire to trilobed |
L 5-7 cm diam 7 cm |
Ipomoea indica | |||
cordate entire |
L 2,5-5 cm diam 4-6 cm |
Ipomoea purpurea | ||||
blue |
cordate trilobed |
L 5-6 cm diam 4-6 cm |
Ipomoea nil | |||
white |
sagitate entire |
L 0,6-1 cm diam 1-1,5 cm |
Ipomoea eriocarpa | |||
cordate entire |
L 1,5-2,5 cm diam 1,5-2 cm |
Ipomoea obscura | ||||
palmate |
L 2-3 cm diam 3-5 cm |
Merremia aegyptia | ||||
cordate entire to trilobed |
L 7-12 cm diam 8-10 cm |
Ipomoea alba | ||||
yellow |
cordate entire |
L 3-4 cm diam 4-6 cm |
Ipomoea ochracea | |||
cordate entire |
L 2-3 cm diam 2-3 cm |
Merremia umbellata |
.
Attributions | |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Convolvulaceae identification key | ||||||
Pinnatisect lamina (*) | Ipomoea quamoclit | |||||
Palmate lamina (*) | Merremia aegyptia | |||||
Palmatisect lamina (*) | No supernumerary lobe at the base of the leaf. | Margin of lamina entire | Merremia dissecta | |||
Margin of lamina strongly serrated | Ipomoea coptica | |||||
Supernumerary lobe at the base of the leaf. | Ipomoea cairica | |||||
Simple tri-lobed lamina | Stem with latex | Ipomoea batatas | ||||
Stem without latex | Hairy stem and leaf | Ipomoea nil | ||||
Pubescent stem and leaf | Ipomoea indica | |||||
Stem and leaf mostly glabrous | Lobe very marked | Ipomoea triloba | ||||
Lobe slightly marked | Ipomoea hederifolia | |||||
Simple entire lamina | Stem with latex | Empty stem, aquatic plant | Ipomoea aquatica | |||
Full stem, terrestrial plant | Ipomoea batatas | |||||
Stem without latex | Glabrous stem | Entier margin | Ipomoea alba | |||
Marging marked by 2 to 5 tines | Ipomoea hederifolia | |||||
Pubescent stem | Sagittate lamina | marge de la feuille glabre | Ipomoea eriocarpa | |||
Oval lamina | marge de la feuille ciliée | Jacquemontia tamnifolia | ||||
Lamina cordate at the base | Pubescent lamina | Small leaves. Always simple | Ipomoea purpurea | |||
Large leaves most;y tri-lobed | Ipomoea indica | |||||
Lamina mostly glabrous | Apiculate apex | Ipomoea obscura |
pinnatisect : about a simple leaf with pinnate segets reaching nearly te central mid-rib,
Palmate : about composite leaf with the leaflets resembling fingers
palmatisect : about simple leaf with deeply cut lobes, reaching closely the base of the leaf
Attributions | Wiktrop |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
V-shaped |
free branches or preety much |
branches highly apart | 40 mm long | Ipomoea quamoclit | |
branches slightly apart | 40 mm long | Ipomoea aquatica | |||
20 mm long | Ipomoea obscura | ||||
branches welded at the base | 20 mm long | Ipomoea triloba | |||
bilobed | 12 mm long | Ipomoea eriocarpa | |||
25 mm long | Ipomoea nil | ||||
slightly indented | petiolate | 20 mm long | Ipomoea indica | ||
long petiolate | 25 - 30 mm long | Ipomoea hederifolia | |||
shortly petiolate | 25 - 30 mm long | Merremia aegyptia | |||
indented with basal tooth | petiolate | 15 mm long and width | Ipomoea purpurea |
Attributions | |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Madagascar: Merremia aegyptia grows on ferruginous soils and alluvial soils along the roads and cultures, bordering canals and rivers, in fallow, rarely as a weed of crops. It grows on fairly rich soils on the sunny or lightly shaded land in farming systems more or less extensive in semi-arid agro-ecological zones (Southwest and West) and sub (Northwest) at low altitude.
Mayotte: M. aegyptia is an exotic species commonly naturalized in the secondarized environments of the xerophilic region. It grows in the crops, the villages, the wastelands and along roadside.
Reunion: It is a ruderal species present in the region of Saint- Denis . It is found on the roadside and in cultivated plots.
West Indies: Merremia aegyptia is a native species. It grows readily on various types of soil in lowland cultivated areas. It often occupies the edge of fields and subsequently colonises crops
Attributions | Wiktrop |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Habitat
Geographical distibution
Merremia aegyptia is native to Central and South America and tropical Africa.
Worldwide distribution
South and Central America, the USA and South Caraïdes, tropical Africa, Madagascar, India, Pakistan, Southeast Asia, Australia (West and North).
Attributions | Wiktrop |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Local harmfulness
Madagascar: Merremia aegyptia is a rare and scarce species. It invades crop fields from the edges. M. aegyptia can invade crops of cassava and cotton and especially in fallow plots from the borders in the alluvial plains of low altitude.
Reunion: This species is frequent in the sugarcane plots of the North-East zone of the island (Sainte-Marie).
West Indies: Merremia aegyptia is a noxious weed typical of sugarcane crop. It forms a dense plant cover on the ground and its voluble stems hinder and prevent the good development of the plants. It is increasingly found in banana plantations with very significant effects on the growth of young plants (stunting, choking, strangulation...).
Attributions | Wiktrop |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Local control
Madagascar: Control of Merremia aegyptia is by manual weeding in cropping systems based on corn, or cotton.
Reunion: see the website of CaroCanne (The online magazine of sugar cane workers in Réunion);
Technical specifications No. 35
West Indies: Control of Merremia aegyptia requires complete uprooting and export from the field to ensure effective and sustainable reinfestation control.
Attributions | Wiktrop |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Merremia aegyptia : https://www.gbif.org/fr/species/5341738
Distimake aegyptius : https://www.gbif.org/fr/species/9350913Attributions | |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
- Fournet, J. (2002). Flore illustrée des phanérogames de Guadeloupe et de Martinique. Montpellier, France, Cirad, Gondwana éditions.
- Bosser, J., I. K. Fergusson and C. Soopramanien (Mult. an.). Flore des Mascareignes. La Réunion, Maurice, Rodrigues, MSIRI, IRD, Kew.
- Kissmann, K. G. and D. Groth (1992). Plantas Infestantes e Nocivas. Tomo II. Sao Paulo, Brasil.
- Barthelat, F. 2019. La Flore illustrée de Mayotte. Meze, Paris, France, Collection Inventaires et Biodiversité, Biotope – Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle. 487 p.
- Grossard, F., Le Bourgeois, T., Dumbardon-Martial, E. & Gervais, L. 2013. Adventilles - Guadeloupe & Martinique - Les adventices des Antilles françaises. Abymes, Guadeloupe, France, Les éditions du CTCS Guadeloupe. 195 p.
- https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77163214-1
- Fournet, J. (2002). Flore illustrée des phanérogames de Guadeloupe et de Martinique. Montpellier, France, Cirad, Gondwana éditions.
- Bosser, J., I. K. Fergusson and C. Soopramanien (Mult. an.). Flore des Mascareignes. La Réunion, Maurice, Rodrigues, MSIRI, IRD, Kew.
- Kissmann, K. G. and D. Groth (1992). Plantas Infestantes e Nocivas. Tomo II. Sao Paulo, Brasil.
- Barthelat, F. 2019. La Flore illustrée de Mayotte. Meze, Paris, France, Collection Inventaires et Biodiversité, Biotope – Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle. 487 p.
- Grossard, F., Le Bourgeois, T., Dumbardon-Martial, E. & Gervais, L. 2013. Adventilles - Guadeloupe & Martinique - Les adventices des Antilles françaises. Abymes, Guadeloupe, France, Les éditions du CTCS Guadeloupe. 195 p.
- https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77163214-1
Caractérisation fonctionnelle et étude de la nuisibilité des adventices de la canne à sucre à la Réunion
La flore des mauvaises herbes de la Canne à Sucre à La Réunion. Caractérisation à partir des témoins des essais d’herbicides. 2005-2016
Herbarium pictures ReCOLNAT for Merremia aegyptia: https://explore.recolnat.org/search/botanique/simplequery=Merremia%2520aegyptia
Attributions | |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Root | Root |
Kingdom | Plantae |
Phylum | Tracheophyta |
Class | Magnoliopsida |
Order | Solanales |
Family | Convolvulaceae |
Genus | Merremia |
Species | Merremia aegyptia (L.) Urb. |