Ipomoea cairica - The wild morning glory

Scientific name: Ipomoea cairica

Common names: 

Railway Creeper, Ivy Leaved Morning Glory, 

Cairo Morning Glory, Coastal Morning Glory, Mile a Minute Vine, Messina Creeper

Chinese name: 五爪金龍 (wu zhua jin ling - 5 clawed golden dragon)

Malay name: Seri Pagi Jalar

Family: Convolvulaceae
Origin: Africa

Native range: From Cape Verde in Portugal to the Middle East and Northern Africa

Category: Perennial creeper (Wildflower / Weed)

Photo taken at: Rubbish dump in Ipoh.

The species name 'cairica' could have been derived from "Cairo", the capital of Egypt.

Features

It is commonly found growing wild in vacant land and rubbish dumps where it grows well under the full sun. The flowers open in the morning and are closed by afternoon. There are 5 lobes on each leaf with the centre lobe being the largest. Propagation is by cuttings.