Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Convolvulus verecundus Allan, Fl. New Zealand 1, 838, 967 (1961)
Synonymy:
Type. NEW ZEALAND, South Island, A.W. Anderson 15 Jan 1941 (holotype CHR 76122).
Vernacular Name(s):
Tussock bindweed
 Description

Low-growing perennial herb, with creeping rhizomatous stems, short ascending to spreading branches, and lianoid stems up to 20 cm; lianoid stems with a sparse to moderate covering of retrorse hairs. Leaves in rosettes and alternate on stems, 6.5–12.0 × 4.0–12.5 mm, deltoid, deltoid ovate to ± broad-oblong, grey, grey-green, to silvergrey or brown-green, moderately to densely hairy with hairs antrorse and appressed or glabrous to glabrate; veins obscure or prominent and strongly translucent; margin with 4–6 pairs of teeth, undulate to occasionally sinuate; base truncate, obtuse, occasionally oblique or slightly cordate; apex usually retuse, occasionally obtuse; petiole channelled, sparsely to moderately covered with retrorse and antrorse hairs or glabrous to glabrate. Pedicel 5–30(–55) mm long, 0.4–1.2 mm diam., moderately hairy. Sepals 3.9–4.1 × 3.5–3.8 mm, obovate to ovate, green; abaxial surface sparsely to moderately hairy, adaxial surface glabrous; margin fimbriate and translucent; apex subacute to obtuse. Corolla 12–19 mm long in bud, 20–25 mm wide when open, white, rarely pink, five lobes fused their full length, lobe apex fringed with hairs; tube 5–8 mm long, pale green; abaxial surface with midline of petal with pink bands with sparse appressed hairs on upper half. Nectary annular, 0.3–0.4 mm tall, yellow. Style 2-cleft, white; fused portion 6.0–9.0 mm long, c. 0.2 mm wide; stigmata 2.5–4.0 × c. 0.5 mm. Ovary c. 1.0 × 1.0–1.2 mm, cream. Filaments 4.0–4.6 mm long, c. 0.5 mm wide at base, tapering to c. 0.2 mm at apex, white; margin with scattered short hairs on lower half; fused to base of corolla tube. Anthers 1.7–2.0 mm long, white. Capsule 5.8–6.2 mm long, 4.5–7.5 mm wide, chartaceous, globose, with 2–4 seeds, lower half enclosed in persistent calyx, style base remnant persistent. Seeds segment-shaped and broader toward apex with a rounded dorsal and two flattened lateral faces meeting at an acute ventral edge, or rounded and broadly obovate without distinct angles, almost triangular to terete in section; 2.8–3.9 × 2.4–3.0 mm; apex and base rounded; hilum concave. Testa black-brown overlaid and ornamented with grey nut-brown, dull, glabrous, moderately covered in low ridges and tubercules, sometimes forming ridges on margins.

© Magnolia Press. Reproduced from Heenan & Molloy 2019  (Phytotaxa 415 (1): page 38) with permission from Magnolia Press.

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
Number of subspecific taxa in New Zealand within Convolvulus verecundus Allan
CategoryNumber
Indigenous (Endemic)1
Total1
 Phenology

FL Nov–Jan; FT Dec–Mar (Heenan & Molloy 2019).

 Bibliography
de Lange, P.J.; Norton, D.A.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Hitchmough, R.; Townsend, A.J. 2009: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand (2008 revision). New Zealand Journal of Botany 47: 61–96. [Declining]
de Lange, P.J.; Norton, D.A.; Heenan, P.B.; Courtney, S.P.; Molloy, B.P.J.; Ogle, C.C.; Rance, B.D. 2004: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 42(1): 45–76.
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Barkla J.W.; Courtney, S.P.; Champion, P.D.; Perrie, L.R.; Beadel, S.N.; Ford, K.A.; Breitwieser, I.; Schönberger, I.; Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Heenan, P.B.; Ladley, K. 2018: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. No. 22. [Nationally Vulnerable]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Champion, P.D.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Norton, D.A.; Hitchmough, R.A. 2013: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 3. Department of Conservation, Wellington. [Declining]
Heenan, P.B.; Molloy, B.P.J. 2019: Five new and Nationally Threatened taxa of Brachyscome, Cardamine, Convolvulus, Geranium and Ranunculus obligate to vulnerable limestone habitats, eastern South Island, New Zealand. Phytotaxa 415(1): 032–048.
Heenan, P.B.; Molloy, B.P.J.; de Lange, P.J. 2003: Species of Convolvulus (Convolvulaceae) endemic to New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 41(3): 447–457.
Wood, J.R.; Williams, B.R.; Mitchell, T.C.; Carine, M.A.; Harris, D.J.; Scotland, R.W. 2015: A foundation monograph of Convolvulus L. (Convolvulaceae). PhytoKeys 18(51): 1–282.