Family: Convolvulaceae
Common name: Slender dwarf morning glory
Morning glory flowers are all beautiful, this one exceptionally so because of the color and size of the flowers. Slender dwarf morning glory plants can grow to a height of about 8 inches mostly spreading horizontally on the ground.
They are known for their slender stems that grow more than 50 cms horizontally, and are covered with thin white hairs. In fact, the whole plant is covered with fine long hairs giving it a very unique old-man-like appearance. As soon as you zoom in through your camera lens, the first thing that catches the eye are the long downy hair covering the plant.
Flowers are about half a centimeter in diameter, violet in color with a beautiful white pattern at the throat. The flowers are solitary but the plant produces many flowers at a time, covering the floor with tiny violet blooms. The petals are fused, giving the flower a saucer-like appearance, with origami folds radiating outwards from the center.
Slender dwarf morning glory flowers have prominent white stamens and anthers. They also produce tiny, rounded fruits with 4 seeds housed inside.
These plants have medicinal properties, and is used in treatment of fever, cold, cough, cuts, ulcers, and also for stomach ailments. In Ayurveda, this little herb is used to enhance brain functions, memory; to relieve pain, anxiety and depression; to calm the nerves; and is also used as a sedative.
But they are now losing their natural habitat in India due to urbanization, and is not as commonly seen these days as it was earlier.
Propagation is through seeds.
