IP'OMCE'A (NereLat.. from Gk. ;its, wortn 1.1.nios. hotttoios, like). A genus of the nat ural order Convidvulaeem. differing very little from the genus Couvolvillus. embracing about 400 species of tropical and warm temperate plants. The are mostly twining or trailing herbs and shrubs. although in the tropies a few' become arboreseent. Many are cultivated for their beau tiful flowers. as the morning-glory and moon flower others for their thick fleshy roots, as the sweet potato (/pomon Butolas) and jalap (q.v.) (Iponifra l'urgal. The large fleshy roots of Ipornwa Batatilla, Ipornow fast iyiatu, and Ipoutcea diyituta are sometimes employed in the same way as sweet potatoes, and lyonara mega potuntiea, Iponmea eathurti•a, and Iponiceu Jalapa have properties similar to jalap. though less ac tive. The ornamental species are ry numerous, and are easily cultivated. Iporacea Quumoclit, the cypress vine, beautiful in both flower and foliage, is a native of tropical America, but now well established in the warmer portions of the United States. Iponmeu rcrsicolor and I porncea purpurca, natives of Mexico and tropical Amer ica, are among our most common morning-glories, the latter having escaped from gardens and be come naturalized throughout nearly the whole country. The famous Japanese morning-glories
are referred to as 1ponicea hedc•acea by sonic authorities. There are many strains that have been developed by selection, some of them of very great beauty. The moonllowers are derived from Iponicea Bona-nox and 1ponuta grandiflora. The flowers open in the evening and close before noon of the next day. They are pure white or striped with green and very fragrant. Iponora fastigiuta and leptophylla, both indige nous to the United States, are noted for their large fleshy roots, specimens weighing 20 pounds of former, and 100 pounds of the latter being not uncommon. They grow in dry soils, their thickened roots protecting them from injury by drought. Ipon-ra fastigiata, known as man-of the-earth and wild potato vine, in some regions is a troublesome weed, difficult of extermination on account of its huge roots. Iponicea a•bores cens, a Mexican species. is a tree 20 to 30 feet high, and a foot in diameter. See Plate of DICOTYLEDONS.