Nontoxic. A member of the morning glory family. Leaves and stems are safe to handle.
The vine that runs along the beach like a railroad track. Railroad vine sends long runners straight across the sand, rooting at every node, creating a living lattice that holds the dune together. The large, round leaves fold in half along the midrib (like a goat's footprint — 'pes-caprae' means 'goat's foot'). Purple morning glory flowers open fresh each morning.
— field notes, Miami Beach
Dune areas throughout Miami Beach, especially in restored dune sections. Very common at South Pointe Park and North Shore Open Space Park. Look for the long vines running across the sand with round, folded leaves.
Railroad vine is one of the first plants to colonize bare sand. Its spreading habit creates a living net that prevents wind erosion. Found on tropical beaches worldwide — one of the most successful coastal plants on Earth. The seeds float in seawater, allowing the plant to colonize new beaches across oceans.
Railroad vine is found on tropical beaches on every continent except Antarctica. It colonized all these coastlines the same way: seeds that float in seawater for months without losing viability. This plant circled the globe long before humans did.
Find a railroad vine and measure how long its runner extends. Follow it from start to finish — some individual vines exceed 30 feet. A lesson in plant growth strategies.
A long railroad vine on the dune, your feet for measuring (or a string/measuring tape)