Botanical name: Ipomoea cairica    Family: Convolvulaceae (Morning glory family)

One of the commonest yet most useful of the evergreen creepers, refreshing the eve in the hottest weather with its clear, green leaves and delicate, mauve blooms, the Railway Creeper is found in gardens, villages, and on practically every railway station, thus earning for itself its nickname. This morning glory vine is beautiful, climbing on to whatever it finds - the purple flower studded vine wrapped around bending bamboo stems, is a pleasing sight. Its stem is hairless, readily set roots when in touch with the earth. This species can be identified by its leaves which are hairless to 9cm long with 5-7 lobes, middle lobe the largest. Flowers purple, pink or rarely pinkish white, to 8cm across, solitary or in groups of 2-3. Fruit a 4-valved capsule, about 1cm across, each valve with 1 seed. Seed with wispy hairs attached. Spread by wind, water and humans.

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The flower labeled Railway Creeper is ...