Convolvulus sabatius, Viviani, 1823

Carine, Mark A. & Robba, Lavinia, 2010, Taxonomy and evolution of the Convolvulus sabatius complex (Convolvulaceae), Phytotaxa 14, pp. 1-21 : 10-12

Taxonomic treatment of the C. sabatius complex

Prostrate or scrambling perennial herbs, woody at the base, with stems to 30 cm or more long. Leaves shortly petiolate, lamina oblong, elliptic, ovate, deltoid or orbicular, margins entire, apices acute, obtuse or emarginate. Flowers axillary, pedunculate, solitary, or in pairs, or rarely in 3-flowered cymes. Peduncles equal to or longer than the pedicels. Bracteoles lanceolate to elliptic. Calyx lobes five, unequal, lanceolate, elliptic or obovate, apices acute, attenuate or rarely rounded with a short attenuate point. Corolla funnel-shaped, blue, white or yellow, underside with five paler, pubescent bands. Stamens 5, unequal (2 long + 3 short); filaments glabrous or glandular pubescent; anthers sagittate. Ovary narrowly conical to spheroidal, glabrous or rarely pubescent. Style glabrous. Stigma bifid, the lobes narrowly cylindrical. Fruit a dehiscent capsule. Seeds brown.

Key to the species

1 Corolla yellow, style at least 1.5 times as long as stigma............................................................................................. 2

- Corolla blue or white, stigma and style +/- equal in length.......................................................................................... 3

2 Upper leaf surface pubescent; stem indumentum comprising long appressed hairs and short +/- erect hairs ............... ............................................................................................................................................. 2a. C. supinus var. supinus

- Upper leaf surface glabrous or glabrescent; stem indumentum comprising only long appressed hairs ........................ ........................................................................................................................................ 2b. C. supinus var. melliflorus

3 Leaves>2 x longer than broad; apices usually acute ...........................................................................1. C. valentinus

- Leaves usually <2x as long as broad; apices rounded ................................................................................................. 4

4 Calyx with an indumentum comprising short, appressed hairs ...................................... 3a C. sabatius subsp. sabatius

- Calyx lobes sparsely to densely villous 3b C. sabatius subsp. mauritanicus