NHD52/17

Purple morning glory

Evolvulus sericeus Sw.; Convolvulaceae family

Original inscriptions: 土丁桂 (front lower right in ink, attached to painting with pin);

Further inscriptions: H. Sh. (front lower left in ink); Evolvulus sericea (front lower right in pencil)

Numerous slender stems of different heights sprouting from an individual thick and elongated root. The root is brown with several small short rootlets spreading out. The stems are depicted ascending, with few prostrating on the sides. Small, green petiolate leaves distributed opposite and alternating along the full length of each stem. At the base, a few brown. Dark purple-blue flowers along the stems. The flowers are bigger in size than the leaves, have four or five round petals, with five, short erect stamens in the middle of each flower. Numerous sepals depicted in white-green colour, are spread along the stems, with no petals. Lower left: depiction of a flower pedicel with sepals, and pistil, detached from a front facing flower showing five purple petals, with darker coloured edges, and five white to yellow stamens.