APHOTOMARINE

An educational resource dedicated mainly to the photography
and diversity of marine life that can be found in coastal waters
and intertidal areas of Great Britain and Ireland by David Fenwick.

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Railroad Vine
Ipomoea pes-caprae
- seed lateral view 1

Railroad Vine
Ipomoea pes-caprae
- hilum 1

Railroad Vine
Ipomoea pes-caprae
- seed lateral view 2

Railroad Vine
Ipomoea pes-caprae
- hilum close-up 1

Railroad Vine
Ipomoea pes-caprae
- seed without hair 1

Railroad Vine
Ipomoea pes-caprae
- seed without hair 2

Railroad Vine
Ipomoea pes-caprae
- seed without hair 3

Railroad Vine
Ipomoea pes-caprae
- hilum close-up 2

Railroad Vine
Ipomoea pes-caprae
- hilum close-up 3

Railroad Vine
Ipomoea pes-caprae
- with 0.1mm division rule 1

Ipomoea pes-caprae, Railroad Vine or Beach Morning Glory is a non-native pantropical species of convolvulaceae, which has been reported as a driftseed in the UK and Ireland. The seed is made buoyant by its coating of fine hairs, which trap air bubbles, helping it float.

To show detail of the seed, especially that around the hilum, the fine hairs have been burnt off using a lighter.

The seed here was obtained by a merchant on Ebay, but I am reliably informeded that the seed originated from Brazil. The seed has been purchased for reference purposes, and in order to help identify this species when it is found. Some species of convolvulaceae are notoriously difficult to identify because there are so many tropical and pantropical species.

Ipomoea pes-caprae is also known as Bayhops or Goat's Foot.

The main objective of this website is in furthering environmental awareness and education through the medium of photography. To increase awareness and access to the wildlife of the region and help

people find and identify it. Sometimes the difference between species is obvious but many species can only be determined by observing microscopic characteristics that are specific to any one species.