a plant genus of the family Convolvulaceae. This genus includes climbing or creeping herbaceous plants or shrubs. The large pentamerous flowers have a funnel-shaped or bell-shaped corolla. The fruit is a capsule. There are approximately 500 species, mainly in the tropics. I. pescaprae is widely found on the sandy coasts of tropical seas; its shoots extend along the sand and reach 30–40 m in length. The sweet potato (I. batatas) has great economic significance. I. sibirica grows in Siberia and the Far East. The common morning glory (I. purpurea, or Pharbitis purpurea), I. tricolor, and other species are cultivated as ornamentals outdoors and in greenhouses.