Convolvulaceae
Encyclopedia
Convolvulaceae, known commonly as the bindweed
or morning glory
family
, are a group of about 60 genera and more than 1,650 species of mostly herbaceous
vine
s, but also tree
s, shrub
s and herb
s.
. The stem of these plants is usually winding, hence its Latin name (from convolvere, "to wind"). The leaves are simple and alternate, without stipules. The fruit can be a capsule, berry, or nut, all containing only two seeds per one locule
(one ovule
/ovary
).
The leaves and starchy tuberous roots of some species are used as food
stuffs (e.g. sweet potato
and water spinach
), and the seeds are exploited for their medicinal value as purgatives. Some species contain ergoline
alkaloids that are likely responsible for the use of these species as ingredients in psychedelic
drugs (e.g. ololiuhqui). The presence of ergolines in some species of this family is due to infection by fungi related to the ergot fungi of the genus Claviceps. A recent study of Convolvulaceae species, Ipomoea asarifolia, and its associated fungi showed that the presence of a fungus, identified by DNA sequencing
of 18s and ITS ribosomal DNA
and phylogenetic analysis to be closely related to fungi in the family Clavicipitaceae
, was always associated with the presence of ergoline alkaloids in the plant. The identified fungus appears to be a seed-transmitted obligate biotroph growing epiphytically on its host. This finding strongly suggests that the unique presence of ergoline alkaloids in some species of the family Convolvulaceae is due to symbiosis
with clavicipitaceous
fungi. Moreover, another group of compounds, loline alkaloids
, commonly produced by some members of the clavicipitaceous fungi (genus Neotyphodium
), has been identified in a Convolvulaceous species, but the origin of the loline alkaloids in this species is unknown.
Members of the family are well known as showy garden plants (e.g. morning glory
) and as troublesome weeds (e.g. bindweed).
Bindweed
Bindweed may refer to:* Convolvulaceae , a family including about 60 genera and more than 1,650 species** Calystegia , a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants...
or morning glory
Morning glory
Morning glory is a common name for over 1,000 species of flowering plants in the family Convolvulaceae, whose current taxonomy and systematics is in flux...
family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
, are a group of about 60 genera and more than 1,650 species of mostly herbaceous
Herbaceous
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
vine
Vine
A vine in the narrowest sense is the grapevine , but more generally it can refer to any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent, that is to say climbing, stems or runners...
s, but also tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s, shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s and herb
Herb
Except in botanical usage, an herb is "any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume" or "a part of such a plant as used in cooking"...
s.
Description
Convolvulaceae can be recognized by their funnel-shaped radially symmetrical corolla; the floral formula for the family has 5 sepals, 5 fused petals, 5 epipetalous stamens (stamens fused to the petals), and a 2 part syncarpous and superior gynoeciumGynoecium
Gynoecium is most commonly used as a collective term for all carpels in a flower. A carpel is the ovule and seed producing reproductive organ in flowering plants. Carpels are derived from ovule-bearing leaves which evolved to form a closed structure containing the ovules...
. The stem of these plants is usually winding, hence its Latin name (from convolvere, "to wind"). The leaves are simple and alternate, without stipules. The fruit can be a capsule, berry, or nut, all containing only two seeds per one locule
Locule
A locule is a small cavity or compartment within an organ or part of an organism ....
(one ovule
Ovule
Ovule means "small egg". In seed plants, the ovule is the structure that gives rise to and contains the female reproductive cells. It consists of three parts: The integument forming its outer layer, the nucellus , and the megaspore-derived female gametophyte in its center...
/ovary
Ovary
The ovary is an ovum-producing reproductive organ, often found in pairs as part of the vertebrate female reproductive system. Ovaries in anatomically female individuals are analogous to testes in anatomically male individuals, in that they are both gonads and endocrine glands.-Human anatomy:Ovaries...
).
The leaves and starchy tuberous roots of some species are used as food
Food
Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
stuffs (e.g. sweet potato
Sweet potato
The sweet potato is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the family Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting, tuberous roots are an important root vegetable. The young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as greens. Of the approximately 50 genera and more than 1,000 species of...
and water spinach
Ipomoea aquatica
Ipomoea aquatica is a semi-aquatic tropical plant grown as a leaf vegetable. It is known in English as Water Spinach, Water Morning Glory, Water Convolvulus, or by the more ambiguous names "Chinese spinach" and "swamp cabbage". It has many other names in other languages, such as "Phak bung" in Thai...
), and the seeds are exploited for their medicinal value as purgatives. Some species contain ergoline
Ergoline
Ergoline is a chemical compound whose structural skeleton is contained in a diverse range of alkaloids including a few psychedelic drugs . Ergoline derivatives are used clinically for the purpose of vasoconstriction and in the treatment of migraines and Parkinson's disease...
alkaloids that are likely responsible for the use of these species as ingredients in psychedelic
Psychedelic
The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...
drugs (e.g. ololiuhqui). The presence of ergolines in some species of this family is due to infection by fungi related to the ergot fungi of the genus Claviceps. A recent study of Convolvulaceae species, Ipomoea asarifolia, and its associated fungi showed that the presence of a fungus, identified by DNA sequencing
DNA sequencing
DNA sequencing includes several methods and technologies that are used for determining the order of the nucleotide bases—adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine—in a molecule of DNA....
of 18s and ITS ribosomal DNA
Ribosomal DNA
Ribosomal DNA codes for ribosomal RNA. The ribosome is an intracellular macromolecule that produces proteins or polypeptide chains. The ribosome itself consists of a composite of proteins and RNA. As shown in the figure, rDNA consists of a tandem repeat of a unit segment, an operon, composed of...
and phylogenetic analysis to be closely related to fungi in the family Clavicipitaceae
Clavicipitaceae
Clavicipitaceae is a family of fungi within the order Hypocreales. It consists of 43 genera, and 321 species.-Phylogeny:Molecular phylogenetic analysis of multigene DNA sequence data indicates that the taxon, Clavicipitaceae, is paraphyletic, and consists of three well-defined clades, at least one...
, was always associated with the presence of ergoline alkaloids in the plant. The identified fungus appears to be a seed-transmitted obligate biotroph growing epiphytically on its host. This finding strongly suggests that the unique presence of ergoline alkaloids in some species of the family Convolvulaceae is due to symbiosis
Symbiosis
Symbiosis is close and often long-term interaction between different biological species. In 1877 Bennett used the word symbiosis to describe the mutualistic relationship in lichens...
with clavicipitaceous
Clavicipitaceae
Clavicipitaceae is a family of fungi within the order Hypocreales. It consists of 43 genera, and 321 species.-Phylogeny:Molecular phylogenetic analysis of multigene DNA sequence data indicates that the taxon, Clavicipitaceae, is paraphyletic, and consists of three well-defined clades, at least one...
fungi. Moreover, another group of compounds, loline alkaloids
Loline alkaloids
A loline alkaloid is a member of the 1-aminopyrrolizidines , which are bioactive natural products with several distinct biological and chemical features...
, commonly produced by some members of the clavicipitaceous fungi (genus Neotyphodium
Neotyphodium
Neotyphodium is a form genus containing species of endophytic fungi. These endophytes are asexual, seed-borne symbionts of cool-season grasses, and grow intercellularly throughout the aerial tissues of their hosts, including shoot apical meristems, leaf sheaths and blades, inflorescences, seeds and...
), has been identified in a Convolvulaceous species, but the origin of the loline alkaloids in this species is unknown.
Members of the family are well known as showy garden plants (e.g. morning glory
Morning glory
Morning glory is a common name for over 1,000 species of flowering plants in the family Convolvulaceae, whose current taxonomy and systematics is in flux...
) and as troublesome weeds (e.g. bindweed).
Tribes
According to the study of D.F. Austin (see Reference) the family Convolvulaceae can be classified in the following tribes:- Ericybeae
- Cressea
- Convolvuleae
- Merremioids
- Ipomoeae
- Argyreiae
- Poraneae
- Dichondreae
- Cuscuteae (sometimes classified as a separate family Cuscutaceae).
Genera
Tribe Aniseieae
Tribe Cardiochlamyeae
Tribe Convolvuleae
Tribe Cresseae
|
Tribe Cuscuteae
Tribe Dichondreae
Tribe Erycibeae
Tribe Humbertieae
Tribe Ipomoeeae
|
Tribe Jacquemontieae
Tribe Maripeae
Tribe Merremieae
Not placed in tribe
|
Further reading
- Austin, D. F. (1973) The American Erycibeae (Convolvulaceae): Maripa, Dicranostyles, and Lysiostyles I. Systematics. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60: 306-412.
- Austin, D. F. 1997. Convolvulaceae (Morning Glory Family)
- Convolvulus plant
- Convolvulaceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants.
- Austin, D.F. 2000. Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis, Convolvulaceae) in North America—From medicine to menace. J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 127:172-177
- Costea, M. 2007-onwards. Digital Atlas of Cuscuta (Convolvulaceae)
- Lyons, K.E. 2001. Element stewardship abstract for Convolvulus arvensis L. field bindweed. The Nature Conservancy. http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/esadocs/documnts/convarv.html
- Calif. Dept. of Food and Agriculture. Undated. Field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis L.). http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/ipc/weedinfo/convolvulus.htm
- Univ. of Idaho Extension. 1999. Homewise: No matter what we do, our morning glory weeds come back every year. Any advice? Aug. 23. http://info.ag.uidaho.edu/homewise/homewise_082399.htm
- Hodges, L. 2003. Bindweed identification and trol options for organic production. NebFacts. Univ. of Nebraska – Lincoln Cooperative Extension. http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/horticulture/nf585.htm
- Univ. of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. 2003. Field Bindweed. Pest Notes. Publ. # 7462. http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7462.html
- Washington State Univ. Cooperative Extension. Undated. Hortsense: Weeds: Field bindweed (Wild morningglory): Convolvulus arvensis. http://pep.wsu.edu/hortsense
- Sullivan, P. 2004. Field bindweed control alternatives. ATTRA. National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/bindweed.pdf
- Lanini, W. T. Undated. Organic weed management in vineyards. University of California, Davis Cooperative Extension. http://www.nswg.org/tomlanini.htm
- Cox, H.R. 1915. The eradication of bindweed or wild morning-glory. U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Farmers’ Bulletin 368. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.
- Littlefield, J.L. 2004. Bindweeds. In Biological control of invasive plants in the United States, ed. E.M. Coombs et al. Corvallis OR: Oregon State Universityy Press. Pp. 150-157.
- New Mexico State Univ. Cooperative Extension Service. 2004. Managing Aceria malherbae gall mites for control of field bindweed. http://www.cahe.nmsu.edu/pubs/_circulars/CR%20600.pdf
- Cox, Caroline. 2005. Coping with field bindweed without using herbicides. Journal of Pesticide Reform 25(1): 6-7
External links
- Convolvulaceae Unlimited
- Convolvulaceae in Topwalks
- Family Convolvulaceae Flowers in Israel