Convolvulus natalensis Bernh. ex Krauss, Flora 27(2): 829. 1844. (Krauss 1844: 829).

Wood, John R. I., Williams, Bethany R. M., Mitchell, Thomas C., Carine, Mark A., Harris, David J. & Scotland, Robert W., 2015, A foundation monograph of Convolvulus L. (Convolvulaceae), PhytoKeys 51, pp. 1-282 : 83

40. Convolvulus natalensis Bernh. ex Krauss, Flora 27(2): 829. 1844. (Krauss 1844: 829). Figure 7, t. 29-35

Convolvulus calycinus Drège ex Choisy, Prodr. [A.P. de Candolle] 9: 408. 1845. ( Choisy 1845: 408), nom. illeg., non Convolvulus calycinus Kunth (1818). Type. SOUTH AFRICA, Cape, Drège s.n. (isotypes K!, L, OXF!, MO!).

Convolvulus natalensis var. integrifolia C.H.Wright, Fl. Cap. (Harvey) 4(2): 77. 1904. ( Baker and Wright 1904: 77). Type. LESOTHO, Cooper 929 (lectotype K 000405826!, designated here).

Type.

SOUTH AFRICA, KwaZulu-Natal, Pietmaritzburg, Krauss 465 (holotype B†; isotypes BM000930469!, BOL, W!).

Description.

Perennial herb, densely hirsute with brownish hairs in all vegetative parts; rootstock woody; stems to c. 1 m, apparently trailing (rarely climbing), relatively stout. Leaves petiolate, 1-6 × 0.8-4 cm, ovate-deltoid, simple, apex acute, margin undulate to irregularly dentate, base cordate; petioles 5-10 (-15) mm. Flowers 1-5; peduncles 2-6.5 cm; pedicels 3-6 (-15) mm; bracteoles 6-12 × 1-2 mm, linear, narrowly lanceolate or narrowly oblanceolate; outer sepals 14-18 × 7-9 mm, broadly to narrowly ovate, obtuse or acute, margin undulate or crenate; corolla 15-30 mm, white or cream, shallowly lobed, the lobes broadly triangular, acute, c. 5 mm long, the midpetaline bands densely pilose; ovary glabrous, acuminate; style glabrous, divided 5-8 mm above base, stigmas 6 mm, linear. Capsule glabrous; seeds tuberculate. [ Meeuse 1957: 687; Meeuse and Welman 2000: 44 (map)]

Distribution.

South Africa: centred on KwaZula-Natal extending to Eastern Cape, Free State, Lesotho, Swaziland and Northern Province (Hilliard 5023, Sanderson 282, Codd 7655, Wood 3462, Rudatis 633, Strey 3460).

Notes.

Distinguished by its tomentose, entire, ovate to oblong, cordate hirsute leaves. Plants described as var. integrifolia are somewhat similar to Convolvulus galpinii in leaf shape but 2-3 flowers are borne on each peduncle and the corolla is similar to Convolvulus natalensis in size.