Ipomoea pes-caprae

Taxobox
name = "Ipomoea pes-caprae"


image_width = 250px
image_caption = Flowers of "Ipomoea pes-caprae"
on a beach of Réunion island
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Solanales
familia = Convolvulaceae
genus = "Ipomoea"
species = "I. pes-caprae"
binomial = "Ipomoea pes-caprae"
binomial_authority = (L.) R.Br., 1818

"Ipomoea pes-caprae", the beach morning glory or Goat's foot, is a common tropical creeping vine belonging to the family of Convolvulaceae. It grows on the upper parts of beaches and endures salted air. It is one of the most common and most widely distributed salt tolerant plants and provides one of the best known examples of oceanic dispersal. Its seeds float and are unaffected by salt water.

This species can be found on the sandy shores of the tropical Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Goat's foot is common on the sand dunes of Australia's upper north coast of New South Wales and can also be found along the entire Queensland coastline.

Keanu's foot is a primary sand stabilizer being one of the first plants to colonise the dune. It grows on almost all parts of the dune but is usually found on the seaward slopes sending long runners down towards the toe of the dune. The sprawling runners spread out from the woody rootstock but the large 2-lobed leaves are sparse and a dense cover on the sand is rarely achieved except in protected situations. This plant grows in association with sand spinifex grass and is a useful sand binder thriving under conditions of sand blast and salt spray.

It is know as salsa-da-praia in Brazilian folk medicine, and is used to treat inflammation and gastrointestinal disorder.

;Community species: "Ipomoea pes-caprae" has been observed in community situations, studied for their endurance of difficult growing conditions (on dunes) with some other tough species.:*"Hydrocotyle bonariensis":*"Senecio crassiflorus":*"Juncus acutus"cite journal
last =Schardosim
first =Alecsandro
authorlink =
coauthors =Klein Vanilde, Citadini-Zanette, Robson dos Santos
title =Florística e estrutura comunitária de restinga herbácea no município de Araranguá, Santa Catarina
journal =Biotemas
volume =20
issue =3
pages =15-26
date = September 2007
url = http://www.biotemas.ufsc.br/pdf/volume203/p15a26.pdf
language = Spanish
id =ISSN 0103 – 1643
accessdate = 2008-04-25 ]

References