Convolvulus verecundus, commonly known as trailing bindweed or tussock bindweed, is a species of flowering plant in the family Convolvulaceae. A perennial herb, it is endemic to New Zealand's South Island. It is primarily found in montane environments in tussock grasslands. It was first described by the botanist Harry Allan in his 1961 work Flora of New Zealand. A new form of the species, glaberrimus, was described in 2019. Its 2023 assessment in the New Zealand Threat Classification System was "At Risk – Declining".
Description Convolvulus verecundus is a perennial herb in the family Convolvulaceae. The stems can reach a length of up to . Leaves are found in a rosette arrangement. Leaves are arranged alternately on the stems and measure 6.5–12.0 × 4.0–12.5 mm long. They range from deltoid to broadly oblong in shape and are grey to silver-grey in colour. The pedicels are usually 5–30 mm long. The sepals are 3.9–4.1 × 3.5–3.8 mm long. The flowers are red, pink, or white. The fruits are found in seed capsules which are 5.8–6.2 × 4.5–7.5 mm long. The seeds are 8–3.9 × 2.4–3.0 mm long. C. verecundus has a diploid chromosome count of 22.
Taxonomy The genus Convolvulus was established by the European botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1753. C. verecundus was first described by the botanist Harry Allan in his 1961 work Flora of New Zealand. There are 227 species of the genus Convolvulus currently accepted by the Plants of the World Online taxonomic database. The genus has a worldwide distribution. A monograph of the genus was conducted in 2015. A new form of the species, glaberrimus, was described in 2019 by the botanists Peter Brian Heenan and Brian Molloy.
Etymology The etymology (word origin) of C. verecunduss genus name, Convolvulus, comes from the Latin , meaning "to twine around". The species is commonly known as trailing bindweed or tussock bindweed.
Distribution Convolvulus verecundus is endemic to New Zealand's South Island. There is one historical record of the plant from the Waiau Toa / Clarence River. The plant is primarily found in the Mackenzie Basin, Central Otago, and the valley of the Waitaki River. C. verecunduss 2023 assessment in the New Zealand Threat Classification System was "Not Threatened".
Habitat Convolvulus verecundus is primarily found in montane environments in tussock grasslands. Its altitudinal range is from approximately above sea level. It can also be found in rocky areas and areas where the vegetation mainly consists of introduced weeds.
Ecology The members of the Convolvulaceae are primarily pollinated by insects. The seeds of C. verecundus are dispersed by the wind.
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