The whitestar potato, Ipomoea lacunosa, is a species that belongs to the Ipomoea

Ipomoea

Ipomoea is the largest genus in the flowering plant family Convolvulaceae, with over 500 species. Most of these are called "morning glories", but this can refer to related genera also. Those formerly separated in Calonyction are called "moonflowers"...

genus. In this genus most members are commonly referred to as "morning glories". The name for the genus, Ipomoea, has root in the Greek words ips and homoios, which translates to worm-like. This is a reference to the plant's vine-like growth. Lacunosa comes from a Latin word meaning air spaces, correlating with the veination of the leaves. Ipomoea lacunosa is native to the United States and grows annually. The flowers of this species are usually white and smaller than most other morning glories.

Distribution

Since Ipomoea lacunosa is a native species to the United States, the plant can be found in multiple areas throughout the country. Ipomoea lacunosa occurs in almost every state on the east coast, as well as some states in the Midwest, and California. The states that the whitestar potato can be found in are as follows: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Washington D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Montana, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. This species was also introduced to Canada and lives successfully in the province of Ontario. Although this plant grows rapidly, its tendency to be invasive is rather small in comparison to other members of the genus .

Habitat and ecology

I. lacunosa is a relatively resilient plant and can survive in a wide range of habitats, moist prairies with black soil, gravelly streams and banks of lakes, cultivated fields, thickets, deserted fields, damp meadows next to rivers or wooded areas, regions near roadsides and railroads, and other waste areas have all been said to support the whitestar morning glory. This flower prefers moist habitats, but can not tolerate extensive amounts of shade. This flower grows annually and blooming persists well into the fall, until it is killed by frost.

I. Lacunosa has quite a few associations with other species. Many varieties of bees (Bumblebees, Little Carpenter bees, Melitoma taurea (Mallow Bee), Peponapis pruinosa (Squash & Gourd Bee), and Cemolobus ipomoea (Morning Glory Bees) visit the plant to obtain nectar. Caterpillars of the otton plume moth] and tortoise beetles consume the foliage that is present on the plant. However, mammalian herbivores refrain from eating the foliage, because to them it can be toxic.

Morphology

The stem of I. lacunosa is a slightly hairy (white hairs), twisting, climbing and twining vine with a small taproot

Taproot

A taproot is an enlarged, somewhat straight to tapering plant root that grows vertically downward. It forms a center from which other roots sprout laterally.Plants with taproots are difficult to transplant...

. It can reach 2 meters in length. I. lacunose depends on its vining habit for dispersal. The roots are fibrous and have a small taproot. In a mature plant, the leaves take on a cordate shape, with a pointed tip, although sometimes it may have 3 deep lobes. The leaves of a less mature plant are usually ovate

Leaf shape

In botany, leaf shape is characterised with the following terms :* Acicular : Slender and pointed, needle-like* Acuminate : Tapering to a long point...

. They are arranged alternately on the stem of the plant. The slender petiole

Petiole (botany)

In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...

s are usually at least 3 centimeters long and have a slight adaxial groove. The leaves themselves can be up to 8 cm wide and 9.4 cm long. The margin of the leaf is typically purple and smooth. The upperside of the leaf may have a small amount of white hairs.

Flowers and fruits

The stalks of the plant that bears flowers is rough and usually has 1-3 flowers. The funnel-shaped flowers of the plant are normally white, but on rare occasion the flowers can be light purple or pink. The five petals are joined (sympetalous) or shallowly lobed and are approximately 2.5 cm long. The sepals are light green, lanceolate, take on a leathery texture and can be up to 11.5 mm long. The anthers are a pinkish-purple and the filaments are white. The ovary is superior, cone-like in shape, and green. There is a single white stigma and style. There are five stamen. The flowers have no perceptible or obvious scent. There are large seed capsules in the flower that are spherical in shape and hairy. The seeds themselves are irregularly oblong, shiny, and brown or black.

Fruit is seen in the form of a capsule that is slightly flattened or rounded in shape, it can be up to 10mm wide.

Food usage

I. lacunosa is one of the few species of Ipomoea that is used on a small scale by humans. The whitestar potato that it produces is traditionally consumed by a number of Native American tribes like the Chiricahua Apaches.

Other animals usually avoid eating Ipomoea due to the high alkaloid content which makes it unplatable. In some cases the amount of alkaloid in the plant can make it toxic. However certain caterpillars of Lepidoptera

Lepidoptera

Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...

(butterflies and moths) are capable of digesting the plant.