Again and again ...

Scientific name: Merremia tuberosa

Merremia tuberosa is a climbing vine that is native to Mexico and parts of central America that has become invasive on various Pacific islands and parts of the United States. The vine overgrows tall hardwood forest canopies and smothers native trees and shrubs. It is a long, climbing vine. Its leaves are simple and the blades are circular in outline, 6-16 cm long and wide, the base is cordate, and margins are palmately 5-7 lobed almost to the base. Its stems are basally woody, perennial, twining, and glabrous. Flowers usually occur in clusters and fully bloom in sunlight and close under cloudy conditions and in the dark. The corolla is yellow, glabrous, funnelform, contortiplicate, enclosed by the sepals in bud. When in full bloom, it is a delightful sight. It is very aggressive invader and crawls over the surrounding plants or structures. I had noticed this plant while going to my native place during Ocober 2011 near the Mysore airport, opposite to a pond. On my return, i reached one day evening to have look at it but all the flowers have folded. Then i went after two days about 7.30 am, when it has not opened its eyes at all. Then i went there around 1.30, but the flowers have started wilting. Finally i could get beautiful blooming photographs on 27th November, 2011 at around 11.30 am, on my 4th attempt!