Bush morning-glory

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Bush morning-glory

Bush morning-glory flower

Bush morning-glory

Bush morning-glory

Morphology

Stem

Erect to decumbent, bushy branching, glabrous.

Leaves

Alternate, simple, short-stalked, ascending, linear to narrowly lanceolate, 2 to 6 inches long, less than 1/3 inch wide, glabrous; margins entire; tips tapered to points.

Inflorescence

Clusters of 1-3 flowers, stalks 3 to 4 inches long, in leaf axils.

Flower

Calyces 5-lobed, sepals unequal; corollas funnel-shaped, 2 to 3.5 inches long, somewhat 5-angled, pinkish lavender to purplish red, throats darker; stamens 5, unequal.

Fruit

Capsules, egg-shaped, long-pointed, smooth; seeds 1-4, densely hairy, brown.

Ecology

Habitat

Dry prairies, disturbed sites, and roadsides, on sandy or gravelly soils.

Distribution

West two thirds of Kansas.

Practical Information

Uses

Great Plains Indians used bush morning-glory as an emergency food source. The roots can be boiled, baked, or roasted.

Additional Notes