Ipomoea batatas
(L.) Lam. · speciesAt a glance
Sources19 archives
Databases and archives Ipomoea batatas's data was compiled from.
WikipediaWikimedia Foundation22 languages↗
BioWikiNetmultilingual Wikipediamultilingual↗
GBIFGlobal Biodiversity Information Facility24 045 records↗
OBISOcean Biodiversity Information System29 records↗
ENAEuropean Nucleotide Archive · EMBL-EBI29 eDNA detections↗
BOLD SystemsCentre for Biodiversity Genomics24 specimens↗
FooDBThe Metabolomics Innovation Centrecompounds↗
foodatlascompounds
LOTUSNatural Products (Wikidata)compounds↗
NPASSNat. Product Activity & Species Sourcecompounds↗
GRIN TaxonomyUSDA-ARSdistribution & uses↗
Open Tree of LifeOpenTreephylogeny backbone↗
CCDBChromosome Counts DB · Tel Aviv U.genome & karyotype↗
giftgenome & karyotype
GoaTGenomes on a Tree · Sangergenome & karyotype↗
NCBIUS National Library of Medicinegenome & karyotype↗
PloiDBPloidy Databasegenome & karyotype
WikidataWikimedia Foundationstructured facts↗
GLoBIGlobal Biotic Interactionsbiotic interactions↗Every layer below draws on the sources above — open one to explore it, or use ← → to move between tabs.
The sweet potato or sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the bindweed or morning glory family, Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are used as a root vegetable. The young shoots and leaves are sometimes eaten as greens. Cultivars of the sweet potato have been bred to bear tubers with flesh and skin of various colors. Sweet potato is only distantly related to the common potato (Solanum tuberosum), both being in the order Solanales. Although darker sweet potatoes are often referred to as "yams" in parts of North America, the species is not a true yam, which are monocots in the order Dioscoreales. Sweet potato is native to the tropical regions of the Americas. Of the approximately 50 genera and more than 1,000 species of Convolvulaceae, I. batatas is the only crop plant of major importance—some others are used locally (e.g., I. aquatica "kangkong"), but many are poisonous. The genus Ipomoea that contains the sweet potato also includes several garden flowers called morning glories, though that term is not usually extended to I. batatas. Some cultivars of I. batatas are grown as ornamental plants under the name tuberous morning glory, and used in a horticultural context.
No narrative description available for this taxon yet.
Size & morphology9
Life cycle & reproduction16
Diet & foraging1
Habitat & environment14
Physiology & chemistry4
Other traits3
Compounds documented for Ipomoea batatas across natural-product and food-composition databases — not just the ~150 nutrients on a classic label ("nutritional dark matter").
Compound class profile5 classes
Documented compounds6 051 total
| Compound | Class | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| WATER | 79,540 mg/100g | FoodAtlas | |
| STARCH | 60,550 mg/100g | FoodAtlas | |
| Retinol | 20,870 IU | FooDB | |
| CARBOHYDRATE | 17,327.875 mg/100g | FoodAtlas | |
| Starch, pregelatinized | 16,700 mg/100 g | FooDB | |
| α-D-galactose | 15,950 mg/100g | FooDB | |
| Sugars | 15,400 mg/100g | FooDB |
A DNA barcode is a short, standardised stretch of genes that works like a fingerprint — enough to tell one species from another. Below is the molecular trace Ipomoea batatas has left across the world's sequence archives.
At a glance
★ the standard DNA barcode for this group — the short region actually read to tell this species apart. The rest are extra genes sequenced along the way.
Besides the big genome in the nucleus, cells carry a small, circular loop of DNA inside the cell's energy factories — the mitochondria. It is inherited almost only from the mother and is a leftover from ancient bacteria that moved into the cell. The mitochondrial markers above (ND*, COX, CYTB…) are read from exactly this loop. Outer ring = one strand, inner ring = the other.
The complete instruction manual Ipomoea batatas carries — its genome. We read it from three angles — how big it is, how the DNA is packed into chromosomes, and how completely it has been sequenced — and explain how to read each value as you go.
Genome sizehow big the whole instruction manual is
Measured in base pairs (bp) — the individual letters of DNA (human ≈ 3.2 Gb, a bacterium a few million). The chart places this genome on a logarithmic scale — each step to the right is ten times bigger — among reference organisms. Across species a bigger genome loosely tracks with larger cells, slower growth and lower-energy lifestyles (powered flight favours small genomes) — yet it does not imply more genes or a more advanced organism (the long-standing C-value paradox).
Chromosomes & ploidyhow the DNA is packaged
2n is the full chromosome count in a normal body cell; n is a gamete (egg or sperm), which carries half. Ploidy is how many complete chromosome sets each cell holds — 2× (diploid) is typical for animals, while higher levels (polyploidy) are common in plants. Click any value below to see the underlying records and sources.
2n 9016×GoaT · Kew Plant DNA C-values Database · CCDB · ipcn-api-dl · CCDB · book-ipcn67-71 +5
2n 605×GoaT · Kew Plant DNA C-values Database · CCDB · kew
2n 842×CCDB · book-indian_vol1 · GIFT · GIFT (floras)
hexaploid1×GoaT · Kew Plant DNA C-values Database
diploid1×GIFT · GIFT (floras)
polyploid inferred1×PloiDB · genus-scale
Sequencing statusassembly quality — how far to trust these numbers
Assembly level tells you how finished the sequence is — from fragmented contigs, through scaffolds, up to a full chromosome-level assembly. BUSCO % estimates completeness: the share of genes expected to be present that were actually found. These describe the data quality, not the organism.
Record type24 074 records
Origin
Range
Wildobservation + sensor
Human sightings and records, or camera-trap / sensor detections — someone (or a device) saw or captured the species in the wild.
Museum / Voucheredphysical evidence
Backed by a physical specimen — a herbarium sheet, sample or voucher held in a collection. “Vouchered” means supported by material evidence, not just an observation.
Cultivated / Captivenot free-living
A living individual in a botanical garden, zoo or nursery — cultivated or kept, not free-living.
Wildobservation + sensor
Human sightings and records, or camera-trap / sensor detections — someone (or a device) saw or captured the species in the wild.
Holding institutions133 of 267 geolocated
Institutions and collections holding physical, vouchered specimens of this species — click a row to fly to it on the map.
| Institution | Specimens |
|---|---|
| Saint Louis, US | 382 |
| Miami, US | 341 |
| Durango, MX | 179 |
| National Biodiversity Institute, Costa Ricalocation not on record | 130 |
| Bronx, US | 85 |
| Mexico City, MX | 83 |
| Chicago, US | 73 |
| BISHlocation not on record | 69 |
| Istituto Agrario Castelnuovolocation not on record | 51 |
| Chapingo, MX | 46 |
| Beijing, CN | 44 |
| South Kensington, GB | 40 |
| University of Stellenboschlocation not on record | 39 |
| Guangzhou, CN | 30 |
| Loja, EC | 29 |
| Kew, GB | 29 |
| León, NI | 29 |
| Philadelphia, US | 28 |
| Austin, US | 24 |
| Tapachula, MX | 23 |
| San José, CR | 23 |
| Puerto Ayora, EC | 22 |
| Auckland, NZ | 21 |
| Paris, FR | 21 |
| Guilin, CN | 20 |
| MeiseBGlocation not on record | 19 |
| Xiamen, CN | 19 |
| Mérida, MX | 18 |
| Brisbane, AU | 18 |
| Juriquilla, MX | 17 |
| Tampa, US | 15 |
| Universidad Nacional de Colombia (UNAL)location not on record | 15 |
| Yaoundé, CM | 14 |
| Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznańlocation not on record | 14 |
| Christchurch, NZ | 14 |
| Instituto Amazónico de Investigaciones Científicas - SINCHIlocation not on record | 13 |
| Cenargenlocation not on record | 13 |
| Brasília, BR | 13 |
| Honolulu, US | 13 |
| Aarhus, DK | 12 |
| San Jose State University, Museum of Birds and Mammalslocation not on record | 11 |
| UNICAMPlocation not on record | 11 |
| Porto Alegre, BR | 10 |
| Taipei, TW | 9 |
| QCNElocation not on record | 9 |
| Altos de Pipe, VE | 8 |
| Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt (IAvH)location not on record | 8 |
| MAlocation not on record | 8 |
| HAWlocation not on record | 8 |
| Universidade Federal do Maranhãolocation not on record | 8 |
| Kunming, CN | 8 |
| Nanjing, CN | 8 |
| INBIOlocation not on record | 8 |
| Canberra, AU | 8 |
| Yangling, CN | 7 |
| Chengdu, CN | 7 |
| UNEMATlocation not on record | 6 |
| Institut fur Allgemeine Mikrobiologielocation not on record | 6 |
| Université du Lomélocation not on record | 6 |
| Universidad de Caldas (UCaldas)location not on record | 6 |
| Stockholm, SE | 6 |
| Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Nortelocation not on record | 6 |
| WAGlocation not on record | 6 |
| Riverside, US | 6 |
| Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Conservación, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Moreloslocation not on record | 6 |
| Florida Museum of Natural History- Zoology, Paleontology & Paleobotanylocation not on record | 6 |
| Salvador, BR | 5 |
| San Francisco de Campeche, MX | 5 |
| Pretoria, ZA | 5 |
| Antiguo Cuscatlán, SV | 5 |
| The University of Arizonalocation not on record | 5 |
| Toluca, MX | 5 |
| Kensington, AU | 5 |
| Taipei, TW | 5 |
| Chongqing Museumlocation not on record | 5 |
| Laboratorio de Ictiologialocation not on record | 5 |
| Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldilocation not on record | 5 |
| 云南省思茅市民族传统医药研究所location not on record | 5 |
| Bloomington, US | 5 |
| Masindi, UG | 5 |
| Baroda, IN | 4 |
| HNBlocation not on record | 4 |
| Berlin, DE | 4 |
| UFPRlocation not on record | 4 |
| Provincia di Livornolocation not on record | 4 |
| Clemson, US | 4 |
| Guangzhou, CN | 4 |
| Wuhan, CN | 4 |
| Palmerston, AU | 4 |
| Mérida, MX | 4 |
| Blumenau, BR | 4 |
| Museum of Zoologylocation not on record | 4 |
| Tuxtla Gutiérrez, MX | 4 |
| EL PASO, US | 4 |
| UNIVASFlocation not on record | 4 |
| Florida Atlantic Universitylocation not on record | 4 |
| Herbier National du Gabonlocation not on record | 4 |
| Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeirolocation not on record | 3 |
| Corrientes, AR | 3 |
| MEXUlocation not on record | 3 |
| Embrapa Agrobiology Diazothrophic Microbial Culture Collectionlocation not on record | 3 |
| Mount Annan, AU | 3 |
| Teresina, BR | 3 |
| Bando, JP | 3 |
| Allentown, US | 3 |
| Forest Herbarium Ibadan (FHI)location not on record | 3 |
| Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique / Institut de l'environnement et de recherches agricoleslocation not on record | 3 |
| Fort Worth, US | 3 |
| ASUlocation not on record | 3 |
| Wellington, NZ | 3 |
| LBVlocation not on record | 3 |
| UFOPlocation not on record | 3 |
| Dresden, DE | 3 |
| Herbario MAT de la Universidad Politécnica Estatal del Carchilocation not on record | 3 |
| Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Veracruzana, Región Xalapalocation not on record | 3 |
| National Institute of Biological Resourceslocation not on record | 3 |
| Mexico City, MX | 3 |
| Seoul, KR | 3 |
| Shanghai, CN | 3 |
| Zhengzhou, CN | 3 |
| Changsha, CN | 2 |
| Awka, NG | 2 |
| Cambridge, US | 2 |
| Denver, US | 2 |
| TAFORI-LSRClocation not on record | 2 |
| IPA/SPlocation not on record | 2 |
| TAIElocation not on record | 2 |
| UnBlocation not on record | 2 |
| Anton de Kom University of Surinamelocation not on record | 2 |
| Plocation not on record | 2 |
| USP-IBlocation not on record | 2 |
| CEPLAClocation not on record | 2 |
| VALElocation not on record | 2 |
| Ilhéus, BR | 2 |
| Universiti Sains Malaysialocation not on record | 2 |
| HUAlocation not on record | 2 |
| Smithfield, AU | 2 |
| UNISANTAlocation not on record | 2 |
| NAlocation not on record | 2 |
| Davis, US | 2 |
| Montecillo, Texcoco, MX | 2 |
| Universidad Católica de Oriente (UCO)location not on record | 2 |
| Clocation not on record | 2 |
| Empresa Pernambucana de Pesquisa Agropecuária, IPAlocation not on record | 2 |
| Phoenix, US | 2 |
| Universidad de La Salle (La Salle)location not on record | 2 |
| Wlocation not on record | 2 |
| Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA)location not on record | 2 |
| UTPLlocation not on record | 2 |
| Claremont, US | 2 |
| Santa Cruz de la Sierra, BO | 2 |
| Sociedad para el Estudio de los Recursos Bióticos de Oaxaca, A. C.location not on record | 2 |
| Santiago de Cali, CO | 2 |
| Córdoba, AR | 2 |
| Ciudad de México, MX | 2 |
| Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS)location not on record | 2 |
| Centre de Recherche en Sciences Naturelles (CRSN/Lwiro)location not on record | 2 |
| Quito, EC | 2 |
| CNF-UFHBlocation not on record | 2 |
| UNESClocation not on record | 1 |
| UFVJMlocation not on record | 1 |
| Tuxtla Gutiérrez, MX | 1 |
| Ciudad de México, MX | 1 |
| València, ES | 1 |
| Minia, EG | 1 |
| Londrina, BR | 1 |
| Frankfurt am Main | 1 |
| Toronto, CA | 1 |
| Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoirelocation not on record | 1 |
| China Agricultural Universitylocation not on record | 1 |
| St. Augustine, TT | 1 |
| Bangkok, TH | 1 |
| UTFPR-DVlocation not on record | 1 |
| Sanda, JP | 1 |
| San Isidro, AR | 1 |
| JBRJlocation not on record | 1 |
| Gump Stationlocation not on record | 1 |
| Pittsburg, US | 1 |
| Limbe Botanical & Zoological Gardenslocation not on record | 1 |
| Hobart, AU | 1 |
| Zhejiang Universitylocation not on record | 1 |
| Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (PUJ)location not on record | 1 |
| SLU Artdatabankenlocation not on record | 1 |
| Nnamdi Azikiwe University Herbarium (NAUH)location not on record | 1 |
| Jinghong, CN | 1 |
| Gujarat Biodiversity Gene Banklocation not on record | 1 |
| Burlington, US | 1 |
| Universidad de Nariño (UdeNar)location not on record | 1 |
| Cuiabá, BR | 1 |
| La Paz, BO | 1 |
| Campo Mourão, BR | 1 |
| UFRRJlocation not on record | 1 |
| Universidade da Região de Joinville - Univillelocation not on record | 1 |
| Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas (UDistrital)location not on record | 1 |
| Rotorua, NZ | 1 |
| HUT Culture Collectionlocation not on record | 1 |
| Elocation not on record | 1 |
| Haramaya Universitylocation not on record | 1 |
| Ann Arbor, US | 1 |
| Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabascolocation not on record | 1 |
| Universidad de El Salvadorlocation not on record | 1 |
| Cincinnati, US | 1 |
| Emporia, US | 1 |
| Institute for Agricultural Research of Mozambiquelocation not on record | 1 |
| Durham, US | 1 |
| CMULlocation not on record | 1 |
| Lanzhou, CN | 1 |
| National Herbarium of São Tomé and Principelocation not on record | 1 |
| Logan, US | 1 |
| Leiden University Medical Centerlocation not on record | 1 |
| DOI/NPS, Mississippi National River & Recreation Arealocation not on record | 1 |
| Guiyang, CN | 1 |
| Addis Ababa, ET | 1 |
| EFGlocation not on record | 1 |
| Tlalnepantla, MX | 1 |
| Station d'Ecologie de Lamtolocation not on record | 1 |
| Maringá, BR | 1 |
| N.I.Vavilov Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR)location not on record | 1 |
| Karlsruhe, DE | 1 |
| UC_PESHlocation not on record | 1 |
| Parthenon Tama History Museumlocation not on record | 1 |
| BMlocation not on record | 1 |
| Centro Cultural Santo Domingolocation not on record | 1 |
| Université de Strasbourglocation not on record | 1 |
| Río Palenque Science Centerlocation not on record | 1 |
| CUVClocation not on record | 1 |
| Chapel Hill, US | 1 |
| Parc Botanique et Zoologique de Tsimbazaza (PBZT)location not on record | 1 |
| National Natural History Collectionslocation not on record | 1 |
| Escuela Agrícola Panamericanalocation not on record | 1 |
| Columbia, US | 1 |
| CJBGlocation not on record | 1 |
| arosemena tola, EC | 1 |
| Herbario Selva Central Oxapampa - estación biológica del Jardín Botánico de Missourilocation not on record | 1 |
| Iquitos, PE | 1 |
| Seropédica, BR | 1 |
| Vancouver, CA | 1 |
| Madison, US | 1 |
| FLASlocation not on record | 1 |
| TNMlocation not on record | 1 |
| Feira de Santana, BR | 1 |
| UFESlocation not on record | 1 |
| Federal University of Espírito Santolocation not on record | 1 |
| Madrid, ES | 1 |
| HUENFlocation not on record | 1 |
| UEPAlocation not on record | 1 |
| Guatemala City, GT | 1 |
| UFBAlocation not on record | 1 |
| Mississippi State, US | 1 |
| San Francisco, US | 1 |
| DOI/NPS, Little Rock Central High School National Historic Sitelocation not on record | 1 |
| Canadian Department of Agriculturelocation not on record | 1 |
| Criciúma, BR | 1 |
| Wuzhou, CN | 1 |
| Fayetteville, US | 1 |
| FUNEDlocation not on record | 1 |
| University of Hamburglocation not on record | 1 |
| Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Instituto de Biologialocation not on record | 1 |
| KR | 1 |
| PUC-RSlocation not on record | 1 |
| Universidade Federal do Vale do São Franciscolocation not on record | 1 |
| UTFPR-CPlocation not on record | 1 |
| UFRPElocation not on record | 1 |
| UNIVILLElocation not on record | 1 |
| UFERSAlocation not on record | 1 |
| UNESP-FCAlocation not on record | 1 |
| Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, Ministry of Agriculturelocation not on record | 1 |
Cultivated / Captivenot free-living
A living individual in a botanical garden, zoo or nursery — cultivated or kept, not free-living.
Where the DNA of Ipomoea batatas was picked up in samples of water, soil or air — nobody saw the organism, only its DNA left behind. A trace is a clue that the species was near, not a confirmed sighting.
Signal
Where its DNA was found
How strong is each trace?
Measured at samplingin-field
Modelled climatemodelled
How to read this: each dot is one detection of this species' DNA in an environmental sample. The confidence meter weighs how many independent studies and places back up the signal — one detection in one study is a hint; many across several studies is solid. Records dated before 2008 (when eDNA methods began) are treated as likely mislabeled and left off the map.