Convolvulus equitans Benth., Pl. Hartw. 16. 1839. (Bentham 1839: 16).

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 : 84-85

42. Convolvulus equitans Benth., Pl. Hartw. 16. 1839. (Bentham 1839: 16).

Type.

MEXICO, León, Hartweg 98 (lectotype K-000613111!, portion placed diagonally across sheet ex Herb. Bentham with Bentham’s annotation, designated here; isolectotypes K ex Herb. Hooker K-000613113!, W!).

Description.

Pubescent perennial herb from a stout tap root; stems decumbent or trailing to at least 1 m. Leaf blade very variable in size and form, 1.5-4 (-6.5) × 1-2.5 cm, most commonly with a narrow linear-ligulate central lobe much longer than the small lobed or bifurcate auricles, sometimes palmatisect, sometimes broadly ovate-deltoid, auriculate, usually densely and finely pubescent, apex acute, base cordate, margin entire, undulate or (rarely) crenate-serrate; petioles 0.5-2.5 cm. Flowers 1-3 in pedunculate, axillary cymes; peduncles 1.5-9 cm; bracteoles 1.5-2.5 × 1 mm, linear-lanceolate; pedicels 2-9 (-17) mm; outer sepals 6-8(-12) mm, narrowly elliptic, truncate to auriculate at base, margin entire to crenate, apex truncate and mucronate to acute; corolla 1.4-1.8(-3.0) cm long, white, white with dark centre or pink, shallowly lobed; midpetaline bands pubescent, terminating in a mucro; filaments eglandular; ovary glabrous; style glabrous or pubescent just below the stigmas, somewhat persistent, divided 5-7 mm above base; stigmas 2 mm, weakly exserted. Capsule glabrous, seeds minutely rugose. [ Turner 2009: 400 (maps); Carranza 2008: 8]

Notes.

A very variable plant in many respects. However the vast majority of specimens have small leaves with a narrow linear-ligulate central lobe and short bifurcate or otherwise lobed auricles. In most plants the outer sepals are abruptly narrowed to auriculate at the base, but in many specimens including the type, they are gradually narrowed to the base. Plants are usually densely pubescent. The recognition of the following varieties only account for some of the great variation seen in this species.