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Railroad vine
Ipomoea pes-caprae
I discovered this railroad vine growing along the side of the road, but
I most often see it growing on beach dunes.
As you might guess – railroad vine is heat, salt, and drought tolerant. An early pioneer plant, the vine sends out
thick, flexible runners with roots at each node that stabilize shifting dune
sands. The runner I sketched was easily
the diameter of my little finger. These runners are the source of the common
name of railroad vine; the “railroad tracks” can cover quite a distance as
shown in this video.
Railroad vine is a member of the morning glory family (Convolvulaceae),
which includes a culinary favorite, the sweet potato. The vine bears the typical trumpet-shaped
bloom of morning glory, in shades of lavender, violet, magenta, and pink. In the bright sunlight, the colors seem to
glow. The blooms are held erect on a prostrate
vine, and are a food source for bees and butterflies.
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| The blooms are more vivid than my tools can show! |
The flowers open in the morning, fading in the heat of the day. The fertilized blooms produce seed pods
containing four brown seeds. Although the
seeds are poisonous, they’ve been used historically for medicinal purposes.
The leathery leaves grow up to 4 inches long, the two-lobed kidney-shape
suggesting a split goat’s hoof (Latin pes-caprae,
foot of the goat). Long petioles (leaf stems)
support the upright leaves, often folded along the midrib.
The sap is used as a natural first aid treatment for jellyfish and insect stings, and the family in general has many beneficial properties.
The sap is used as a natural first aid treatment for jellyfish and insect stings, and the family in general has many beneficial properties.
Media:
The Sketchbook Project sketchbook,
Pitt Artist pen in black, size XS for the sketch, and S for
the text
Kimberly watercolor pencils, Derwent Inktense,
Niji Aquabrush, medium size.
For further reading:
