| Author | (L.) Sweet | |
| Distribution | Known in NC only from Carteret County, at Fort Macon State Park. This is a split from the pantropical I. pes-caprae. Weakley (2018) states "The records in the Carolinas may reflect the periodic arrival of sea-borne seeds." Thus, there is some question as to whether this should be considered native in the Carolinas, though the map in his flora shows it as a native species.
This species ranges north to coastal NC, and south to southern FL and west to TX, as well as farther south into the Neotropics; this is the New World split of I. pes-caprae. | |
| Abundance | Extremely rare, and probably very ephemeral in occurrence. Beach species can easily disappear completely after a year, or may re-colonize the same or adjacent areas in future years. The NCNHP has it as a Watch List species, but as W4 (perhaps not native). The website editors suggest it is probably a native species in NC. | |
| Habitat | This is a species of ocean beaches and adjacent dunes. | |
| Phenology | Blooms in summer and fall, and fruits shortly after flowering. | |
| Identification | This is a fairly robust herbaceous vine, up to about 8-10 feet long, often rooting at nodes. It has numerous alternate leaves, which are shiny and thick, and an odd shape. The leaf blade (about 3-4 inches long) is oblong-elliptic, with double (rounded) lobes at the tip, rather than a single tip; also the base is lobed or cordate. The leaves often are somewhat folded "down the middle" along the midrib. At some nodes grow the flowers, each the typical funnel-shaped form and about 3 inches across, pink to lavender, with a dark red or purple center. The species can grow in tangled mats such that you can trip on the stems -- they do root at the nodes -- and thus it appears to be an exotic species where seen, whether it really is or not. | |
| Taxonomic Comments | See Distribution. This species complex was not mentioned in RAB (1968), and apparently the Carolina occurrences are fairly recent.
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| Other Common Name(s) | Bay Hops | |
| State Rank | SU [S1] | |
| Global Rank | G5 | |
| State Status | W4 | |
| US Status | | |
| USACE-agcp | | |
| USACE-emp | | |
