Integrating morphological and phytochemical characters in understanding the taxonomic relationship within some Ipomoea L. species

Abstract

Ipomoea is a large and diverse genus within the family Convolvulaceae, widely utilized for ornamental, nutritional, and medicinal purposes. The genus exhibits considerable variation in stem and lamina structures, reflecting its ecological diversity and growth habits. This variability has contributed to taxonomic uncertainty at the infrageneric level. The present study aims to identify diagnostic morphological characters of the stem and lamina in eight Egyptian wild and cultivated Ipomoea species, and to evaluate their secondary metabolite profiles to assess their taxonomic significance. Macro- and micromorphological characters were examined using light and scanning electron microscopy. Phytochemical profiling was conducted using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS), supported by molecular networking analysis.