Convolvulus spinifer Popov, Trudy Turkestansk. Gosud. Univ. 4: 56, pl. between 64-65. 1922. (Popov 1922: 56,).

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 : 155

137. Convolvulus spinifer Popov, Trudy Turkestansk. Gosud. Univ. 4: 56, pl. between 64-65. 1922. (Popov 1922: 56,). Figure 18, t. 16-20

Type.

KAZAKHSTAN, Popov 546 (holotype LE!).

Description.

Sometimes treated as a synonym of Convolvulus tragacanthoides , this species appears to be distinct. It is less obviously a cushion plant having stems to at least 30 cm in height, but commonly 5-10 cm, the branches all spinescent even when young; leaves linear to oblanceolate, 0.2-0.6 cm wide; flowers subsessile in clusters of 1-5 at the apex of the stem, often with a solitary pedunculate flower borne on a rigid, woody peduncle below the apical cluster; peduncles on axillary flowers 4-13 mm; pedicels 0.5-2 mm; sepals concave, all dorsally pubescent, 5-6 mm long, acute to acuminate. [ Petrov 1935: 134 (plate)]

Distribution.

China: Kashgar (Popov 241, 614); Kazakstan (Goloskokov s.n. [29/6/1971], Divnogorski s.n. [24/5/1907], Shishkin s.n. [17/7/1935], Ptaschicki 632, 642); Kyrgyzstan (Abolin 712, Dessiatoff 1864); sin loc. (Chaffanjon 158).

Notes.

Convolvulus spinifer appears to be somewhat intermediate between Convolvulus krauseanus and Convolvulus tragacanthoides .