See text Convolvulaceae (/kənˌvɒlvjəˈleɪsi.iː, -aɪ/), commonly called the bindweeds or morning glories, is a family of about 60 genera and more than 1,650 species.

The leaves and starchy, tuberous roots of some species are used as foodstuffs (e.g. sweet potato and water spinach), and the seeds are exploited for their medicinal value as purgatives.

A recent study of Convolvulaceae species, Ipomoea asarifolia, and its associated fungi showed the presence of a fungus, identified by DNA sequencing of 18s and ITS ribosomal DNA and phylogenetic analysis to be closely related to fungi in the family Clavicipitaceae, was always associated with the presence of ergoline alkaloids in the plant.

[1] This finding strongly suggests the unique presence of ergoline alkaloids in some species of the family Convolvulaceae is due to symbiosis with clavicipitaceous fungi.

[2] Members of the family are well known as food plants (e.g. sweet potatoes and water spinach), as showy garden plants (e.g. morning glory) and as troublesome weeds (e.g. bindweed (mainly Convolvulus and Calystegia) and dodder), while Humbertia madagascariensis is a medium-sized tree and Ipomoea carnea is an erect shrub.