Evolvulus alsinoides, commonly known as dwarf morning-glory and slender dwarf morning-glory, is flowering plant from the family Convolvulaceae. In Indian ayurveda, it is commonly known as Visnukranta or Shankhavel. It has a natural pantropical distribution encompassing tropical and warm-temperate regions of Australasia, Indomalaya, Polynesia, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Americas.[2]
| Evolvulus alsinoides | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Solanales |
| Family: | Convolvulaceae |
| Genus: | Evolvulus |
| Species: | E. alsinoides
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| Binomial name | |
| Evolvulus alsinoides | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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72 synonyms
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It was first described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus as Convolvulus alsinoides.[3][4] In 1762, he transferred it to the new genus, Evolvulus.[3][5]
Description
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It is a herbaceous plant, annual or perennial with numerous prostrate or ascending stems, slender, with appressed and spreading hairs. The leaves, petiolate or subsessile, are 0.7 to 2.5 cm long and 5 to 10 mm long.
The flowers are isolated or grouped in pauciflorous cymes, borne by filiform peduncles, 2.5 to 3.5 cm long. The calyx is formed by villous, lanceolate sepals 3 to 4 mm long. The rounded corolla, with pentameric symmetry, blue in color, rarely white, is 7 to 10 mm in diameter. The stamens, with filiform filaments, are united at the base of the corolla tube. The ovary, glabrous, is surmounted by two free styles. The fruit is a globular capsule, with four valves, generally containing four seeds that are black and smooth.
Habitat
editThe species inhabits a wide range of habitats, from marshland and wet forests to deserts. A number of varieties and subspecies are recognised. It may become a weed in some situations. It is one of the plants included in Dasapushpam, the ten sacred flowers of Kerala.[citation needed]
Chemistry
editThis herb used in traditional medicine of East Asia for its purported psychotropic and nootropic properties.[6] although such claims are not medically verified.
Chemical compounds isolated from E. alsinoides include scopoletin, umbelliferone, scopolin and 2-methyl-1,2,3,4-butanetetrol.[7]
References
edit- ^ a b "Evolvulus alsinoides (L.) L." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
- ^ "Evolvulus alsinoides (L.) L." Archived from the original on 6 September 2017. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
- ^ a b "Evolvolus alsinoides". Australian Plant Name Index, IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
- ^ Linnaeus, C. (1 May 1753). "Petnandria Monogynia". Species Plantarum. 1: 157.
- ^ Linnaeus, C. (1762), Species Plantarum Edn. 2, 1: 392
- ^ Amritpal Singh (2008). "Review of Ethnomedicinal Uses and Pharmacology of Evolvulus alsinoides Linn". Ethnobotanical Leaflets. 12: 734–740.
- ^ Cervenka F, Koleckar V, Rehakova Z, Jahodar L, Kunes J, Opletal L, Hyspler R, Jun D, Kuca K (2008). "Evaluation of natural substances from Evolvulus alsinoides L. with the purpose of determining their antioxidant potency". J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem. 23 (4): 574–578. doi:10.1080/14756360701674421. PMID 18666003.
External links
edit- Dressler, S.; Schmidt, M. & Zizka, G. (2014). "Evolvulus alsinoides". African plants – a Photo Guide. Frankfurt/Main: Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg.