Convolvulus sagittatus Thunberg, Prodr. Pl. Cap. 35. 1794. (1794: 35).

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 : 79-81

37. Convolvulus sagittatus Thunberg, Prodr. Pl. Cap. 35. 1794. (1794: 35). Figure 7, t. 36-42

Convolvulus paradoxus Poir., Encycl. Suppl. [J. Larmarck et al.] 5(2): 720. 1817. ( Poiret 1817: 720). Type. Not found at P.

Convolvulus steudneri Engl., Abh. Königl. Akad. Wiss. Berlin 2: 350. 1892. ( Engler 1892: 350). Types: ETHIOPIA, Tauta bei Magdala, Steudner 956 (syntype B†) and Talenta, Rohfls s.n (syntype B†); ETHIOPIA, Sennen, Schimper 165 (neotype W!, designated here; isoneotype K).

Convolvulus angolensis Baker, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1894: 67. 1894. ( Baker 1894: 67). Type. ANGOLA, Cuenza, H.H.Johnson (holotype K!).

Ipomoea huillensis Baker, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1894: 70. 1894. ( Baker 1894: 70). Type. ANGOLA, Huilla, Welwitsch 6131 (holotype BM001035800!; isotypes COI, G, K!, P!).

Convolvulus sagittatus var. parviflorus Hallier f., Bull. Herb. Boissier 6: 533. 1898 ( Hallier 1898a: 533). Type. No specimens cited; based on subvarieties.

Convolvulus sagittatus subvar. australis Hallier f., Bull. Herb. Boissier 6: 533. 1898, illegitimate name for autonymic subvariety ( Hallier 1898a: 533).

Convolvulus sagittatus var. grandiflorus Hallier f., Bull. Herb. Boissier 6: 534. 1898. ( Hallier 1898a: 534). Type. No specimens cited; based on subvarieties.

Convolvulus sagittatus subvar. subcordata Hallier f., Bull. Herb. Boissier 6: 534. 1898, " Convolvulus sagittatus var. grandiflorus subvar. subcordata " ( Hallier 1898a: 534).nom. illeg. for autonymic subvariety. ( Hallier 1898a: 533). Type. Based on Convolvulus steudneri Engl., Convolvulus angolensis Baker and Ipomoea huillensis Baker.

Convolvulus sagittatus subvar. graminifolia Hallier f., Bull. Herb. Boissier 6: 534. 1898, as " Convolvulus sagittatus var. grandiflorus subvar. graminifolia " ( Hallier 1898a: 534). Type. SOUTH AFRICA, KwaZulu-Natal, Rehmann 7823 (holotype Z, not seen).

Convolvulus phyllosepalus Hallier f., Bull. Herb. Boissier 6: 535. 1898. ( Hallier 1898a: 535). Type. SOUTH AFRICA, Rehman 3796 (lectotype Z, designated by Meeuse 1957: 681).

Convolvulus hirtellus Hallier f., Bull. Herb. Boissier 6: 536. 1898. ( Hallier 1898a: 536). Type. SOUTH AFRICA, Burke s.n. (lectotype K!, designated by Meeuse 1957: 681).

Convolvulus hastatus Thunb. var. natalensis Baker in Baker & C.H.Wright, Fl. Cap. (Harvey et al.) 4(2): 72. 1904. ( Baker and Wright 1904: 72). Type. SOUTH AFRICA, KwaZulu-Natal, Gerrard 1333 (lectotype K 000097310, portion at top of sheet, designated here).

Convolvulus sagittatus var. graminifolius (Hallier f.) Baker & C.H.Wright, Fl. Cap. (Harvey et al.) 4(2): 72. 1904. ( Baker and Wright 1904: 72). Type. Based on Convolvulus sagittatus subvar. graminifolia Hallier f.

Convolvulus sagittatus var. latifolius C.H.Wright in Baker & Wright, Fl. Cap. (Harvey et al.) 4(2): 72. 1904. ( Baker and Wright 1904: 72). Type. SOUTH AFRICA, Transvaal, October (18)76, E. Holub 1948-1951 (lectotype K, designated here). This appears to be a single sheet, rather than four separate numbers.

Convolvulus huillensis (Baker) Rendle, Fl. Trop. Africa [Oliver et al.] 4(2): 97. 1905. ( Baker and Rendle 1905: 97). Type. Based on Ipomoea huillensis Baker

Convolvulus sagittatus var. subcordata (Hallier f.) Baker & Rendle, Fl. Trop. Africa [Oliver et al.] 4(2): 97. 1905, nom. illeg., autonymic variety based on " Convolvulus sagittatus var. grandiflorus subvar. subcordata Hallier f." ( Baker and Rendle 1905: 97). Type. Based on Convolvulus sagittatus subvar. subcordata Hallier f.

Convolvulus thymoides Schwartz, Mitt. Inst. Allg. Bot. Hamburg 10: 202. 1939. ( Schwartz 1939: 202). Type. YEMEN, Von Wissmann 2097 (lectotype HBG!, designated here).

Convolvulus sagittatus var. phyllosepalus (Hallier f.) A.Meeuse, Bothalia 6: 681. 1958 [1957], as " Convolvulus sagittatus subsp. sagittatus var. phyllosepalus " ( Meuse 1958: 681). Type. Based on Convolvulus phyllosepalus Hallier f.

Convolvulus sagittatus var. hirtellu s (Hallier f.) A.Meeuse, Bothalia 6: 682. 1958 [1957], as " Convolvulus sagittatus subsp. sagittatus var. hirtellus " ( Meuse 1958: 682). Type. Based on Convolvulus hirtellus Hallier f.

Convolvulus sagittatus subsp. grandiflorus (Hallier f.) A.Meeuse, Bothalia 6: 683. 1958 [1957]. ( Meuse 1958: 683). Type. Based on Convolvulus sagittatus var. grandiflorus Hallier f.

Type.

SOUTH AFRICA, Cape, Thunberg s.n. (lectotype UPS, sheet 1, designated by Meeuse 1958: 679).

Description.

Very variable perennial herb, the vegetative parts usually thinly to densely pubescent, very rarely glabrous; stems decumbent, trailing, rambling or ascending usually <60 cm long; rootstock a stout taproot. Leaves petiolate, sometimes dimorphic with ovate-deltoid (below) and narrowly lanceolate leaves on the same plant, 1-2.8 (-5.5) × (0.1-) 0.3-1.4 cm, ovate-deltoid to narrowly lanceolate, apex acute, margin entire (very rarely undulate), base sagittate or hastate, the basal auricles not bifid, varying greatly in width; petioles 2-4 (-7) mm. Flowers axillary, pedunculate, 1(-2); peduncles (3-) 6-33 mm; bracteoles 2-3 mm, linear to linear-lanceolate; pedicels 2-5 (-12) mm, outer sepals 5.5-8 × 4-5 mm, ovate, broadly oblong to obovate, acute to obtuse, the apex often somewhat bent outwards, glabrous or pubescent, inner sepals glabrous; corolla (1-) 1.2-1.7 cm. pink or white, shallowly lobed, midpetaline bands pubescent, terminating in a tooth; ovary glabrous, style glabrous, divided 3-4 mm above base; stigmas 2-4 mm, linear. Capsule glabrous; seeds glabrous, minutely rugose. [ Meeuse 1958: 679 p. p.; Meeuse and Welman 2000: 46 p. p.; Sebsebe 2007: 184 as Convolvulus steudneri ]

Distribution.

South Africa (Moss 10572, Schlechter 3362, 3484, Bolus 10905, Burtt-Davy 2316, Bester 4286, Gerard 1333); Lesotho (Dieterlen 97b p. p.); Botswana (Baum 180); Namibia (?); Zimbabwe (Gilliland 1900, Wild 4917, Whellan & Davis 988); Angola (Pritchard 310, Santos 577); Ethiopia (Schimper 169, Hall 128, Degen s.n. [4/1902], Mooney 4725); Yemen (Wood 75/381, 3239, 3245); Saudi Arabia (Hillcoat 56); Algeria: Hoggar (fide Quezel and Santa 1963: 758). The lack of records from East Africa seems to reflect a real absence. It is more obviously montane in Ethiopia and SW Arabia.

Notes.

Distinguished from related species by the solitary pedunculate flowers, the corolla typically 1.2-1.7 cm long. The leaves are essentially ovate-deltoid, becoming linear in some cases, although often very narrowly so and the basal auricles are simple. The petioles are often very short.

The type of Convolvulus sagittatus has narrowly lanceolate leaves, whereas the type of Convolvulus phyllosepalus has broadly ovate leaves with very short petioles and conspicuous broad sepals. However, as noted above, both leaf forms can occur on the same specimen.

Although our concept of Convolvulus sagittatus is narrower than that of Meeuse and Welman (2000) or of Verdcourt (1963), it still represents an aggregate, which certainly contains distinct varieties and possibly distinct species. All the four cited specimens from Angola have ovate, acute to acuminate outer sepals and could be recognised as Convolvulus angolensis . Plants from Ethiopia and SW Arabia were separated off by Wood (1997) as Convolvulus thymoides and by Sebsebe (2006) as Convolvulus steudneri and could be recognised under the latter name. They have broadly oblong, obtuse, pubescent outer sepals but they are scarcely distinct from some forms of Convolvulus sagittatus found in South Africa including the lectotype of Convolvulus hirtellus . The syntypes of Convolvulus steudneri in Berlin were destroyed. No isotype is known so we have designated Schimper 165 (W) as a neotype. This was identified as Convolvulus steudneri by Hallier in December 1892, comes from the correct part of Ethiopia and may well be distributed elsewhere, as are many of Schimper’s collections. Another distinct form with very narrow, hirsute leaves is represented by Eyles 8473 from Zimbabwe and Baum 180 from Botswana. Santos 554 from Angola has unusual oblong leaves. All these have relatively large solitary flowers and it seems best to retain them in Convolvulus sagittatus until more detailed study can clarify their status.