Beach morning-glory (Ipomoea pes-caprae)

Ipomoea pes-caprae, beach morning-glory or goat’s-foot creeper, is the long-runnered vine with pink-purple flowers that stitches together the sand dunes of Indian and tropical beaches. Its two-lobed leaves look like a goat’s hoof print, which is what pes-caprae means. It holds sand against wind and waves, and its floating seeds have carried it to tropical shores worldwide.

Botanical name: Ipomoea pes-caprae (L.) R.Br.
Family: Convolvulaceae
Tamil: Adambu
Hindi: Dopati
Parts used: Leaf (household, not a salad here)
Habit: Strand morning-glory; kalmi is I. aquatica
Last updated: 2026-10-26

How to recognise Beach morning-glory

It is a creeping perennial vine with runners many metres long that root at the nodes in the sand.

The leaves are thick, fleshy and rounded, with a notch at the tip that splits them into two lobes, like a hoof.

Flowers are large, funnel-shaped and pink to magenta with a darker throat, opening in the morning.

The seeds are hairy and float, so ocean currents spread them from beach to beach.

Each flower lasts only a day, but the vine flowers for most of the year.

Traditional use of Beach morning-glory

Coastal folk practice

In Thailand, Australia and parts of India the crushed leaves are applied to jellyfish stings and skin irritation.

Coastal folk practice

Modern notes on Beach morning-glory

A small clinical study in Thailand found a leaf extract eased jellyfish sting dermatitis, but evidence is limited.

Coastal engineers value it as a natural sand binder that helps dunes resist erosion.

Beach morning-glory safety

Do not eat it. For serious jellyfish stings, seek medical care.

Ecology and sourcing

It grows on tropical beaches around the world, just above the high-tide line.

It tolerates salt spray, burial by sand and drought.

Beach clean-ups and coastal construction that remove it make dunes more vulnerable to erosion.

Turtles nest on beaches it stabilises, so keeping it intact helps nesting sites too.

Related plants

Also in Convolvulaceae

Questions about Beach morning-glory

Is Beach morning-glory kalmi?

No. Kalmi is Ipomoea aquatica, an edible water vine.

Why goat’s foot?

Its two-lobed leaves look like a goat’s hoof print.

Why is Beach morning-glory important?

It binds beach sand and protects dunes.

What is the Tamil name of Ipomoea pes-caprae?

Adambu.

Sources

Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.