Edible morning glory
Ipomoea welwitschii

Family: Convolvulaceae

What it is like

A herb that keeps growing from year to year. It has a woody rootstock or round tuber. The stems are 50 cm long and stiff. They can be erect or lie along the ground. The leaves are narrowly sword shaped. The flowers are in groups of 1-3 in the axils of leaves. The flowers are funnel shaped and 5-9 cm long. They are pink or white with a darker centre. The fruit is a round capsule. It is leathery.

There are about 500 Ipomoea species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in savannah in sandy soils between 350-1,680 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Botswana, Central Africa, East Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Southern Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The tuber is eaten raw. It is also boiled or roasted.

It is eaten especially by children.

Edible parts

Tuber, root

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Chadhende, Idiadende, Igonsi

Synonyms

Ipomoea semisecta Merxm.;