Ipomoea costata

Bush potato
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Solanales
Family:	Convolvulaceae
Genus:	Ipomoea
Species:	I. costata
Binomial name
	Ipomoea costata; Benth.

Ipomoea costata, commonly known as rock morning glory, is an Australian native plant.^[2] It is found in northern Australia, from Western Australia, through the Northern Territory, to Queensland.^[3] Its tubers provide a form of bush tucker to some Aboriginal peoples, known as bush potato,^[4] or (to the Ngururrpa groups in WA), karnti.^[5]

Description[]

It is a prostrate or climbing perennial growing up to 3 m high, with purple-blue-pink flowers from February to November.^[2] Juvenile form is a vine, maturing into a woody-stemmed shrub with vine-like stems. Leaves are broad and leathery, 4-9 cm long.^[4] Tubers are rounded, 12-20 cm long by 5-18 cm wide, with a single plant potentially having up to twenty tubers.^[6]

Habitat[]

It occurs on sandy or rocky soils, often over limestone,^[2] and on spinifex sand plains in northern Australia.^[4]

Uses[]

It is the source of bush potato, a bush tucker food for Aboriginal people.^[4] Bush potatoes are cooked on the warm earth under coals, and are peeled when cooked.^[6]

Aboriginal names[]

In Central Australia, I. costata is also known to Aboriginal people by the following names:^[7]

Alyawarr: anaty
Anmatyerr: anaty or anek
Eastern Arrernte: anatye
Western Arrernte: natye
Pintupi: ala or yala
Warlpiri: karnti or paparda

References[]

^ "Ipomoea costata". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c Grazyna Paczkowska (8 November 1996). "Ipomoea costata Benth. Rock Morning Glory". FloraBase. Western Australian Herbarium. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
^ "Occurrence records". The Australasian Virtual Herbarium (AVH). Atlas of Living Australia. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Low, Tim (1991). Wild Food Plants of Australia. Angus & Robertson. p. 163. ISBN 0207169306.
^ "New Ngururrpa Indigenous Protected Area". Country Needs People. 1 August 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
^ ^a ^b (1991). Bush Food: Aboriginal food and herbal medicine. Ure Smith Press. p. 94. ISBN 0725408340.
^ Vincent, Ange (July 2009). "Australian Bush Foods Information Sheet 6: Bush Potato Ipomoea costata & I polpha" (PDF). Desert Knowledge CRC. Retrieved 18 March 2020.