Jacquemontia tamnifolia (L.) Griseb.

Global description
 
Jacquemontia tamnifolia is an annual herbaceous plant, erect or twining, with pubescent and appressed stem. Simple alternate leaves, are quite long-stalked, with typically ovate lamina, about 29 to 46 mm long and 18 to 34 mm wide, slightly cordate to truncate base, ciliated margin and acute to acuminate tip. Both sides of the leaf blade are glabrescent or sparsely hairy. The inflorescences are axillary or terminal, with slender and hairy stalk. The flower consists of a blue funnel shaped corolla, about 10 mm. The fruit is an ellipsoidal capsule, about 3.5 mm, surrounded with sepals and containing 4 to 6 seeds.
 
General habit
 
J. tamnifolia is an annual herbaceous plant, erect or twining.
 
Underground system

Taproot system.
 
Stem
 
Voluble or erect stem, with appressed pubescence.
 
Leaf
 
The leaves are simple and alternate, quite long (7.5 to 26 mm), petiolate, typically ovate lamina, about 29 to 46 mm by 18 to 34 mm, slightly cordate to truncate base, ciliated margins and acute to acuminate apex. Both sides of the leaf blade are glabrescent or sparsely hairy.
 
Inflorescence
 
The inflorescences are dense, axillary or terminal, with slender and hairy peduncle; external leafy bracts, briefly stalked; internal sessile, lanceolate to linear bracts, about 7.5 to 1 mm, lengthily ciliated on the margin.
 
Flower
 
Flowers with unequal sepals, ovate-lanceolate, hairy on the outside and on the top of the internal surface, very lengthily ciliated on margin, the externals approximately 6.5 by 1.5 mm, acuminate tip, the internals about 4 of 1 mm, with acute apex. Funnel-shaped corolla, about 10 mm high, is blue and with hairy mediopetal stripes. Stamens little uneven with filaments 4 and 5.5 mm, inserted at 1 mm at the bottom of the tube by briefly triangular glabrous bases.  Sagittate anthers, 1 mm long. Obovoid ovary to broadly bell-shaped, glabrous, 1 to 1.5 mm high, 2 to 3 biovulate loculus, fully filled with ovules; secretory cells at the top of the loculus. Filiform Style, 7 mm long; 2 stigmas. Annular disk 0.25 mm high.
 
Fruit
 
The fruit is an ellipsoidal capsule of about 3.5 mm, surrounded by unchanged sepals. Striped pericarp, dehiscent by 4 or 6 valves. Obovate, fleshy partition, covered with a reticle of secreting cells. The capsule contains 4 or 6 seeds.
 
Seed
 
Seed ovoid of approximately 3 x 1.5 x 1.5 mm, chocolate brown seed coat, strongly warty.

Origin
 
Jacquemontia tamnifolia is native to tropical America and tropical Africa
 
Worldwide distribution
 
South and Central America, Southern USA, tropical Africa and South Africa, the South West Indian Ocean islands, and Sout-East Asia.

https://www.gbif.org/fr/species/5341725