Convolvulus cephalopodus subsp. bushiricus (Bornm.) J.R.I.Wood & R.W.Scotland, 2015

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 : 189

181b. Convolvulus cephalopodus subsp. bushiricus (Bornm.) J.R.I.Wood & R.W.Scotland stat. nov. Figure 23, t. 1-8

Convolvulus bushiricus Bornm., Dan. Sci. Invest. Iran 4: 35. 1945. ( Köie 1945: 35). Type. IRAN, Bushehr, Köie 272 (holotype C; isotype B!).

Type.

Based on Convolvulus bushiricus Bornm.

Distinguishing features.

Differs from subsp. cephalopodus in the longer, softer villous indumentum, the longer leaves (2.5-9 v. 1.5-4 cm) with less obviously undulate margins, the hairy style, in which the stigmas are longer than the united part, the lanceolate bracteoles and narrower sepals, the outer only 2-2.5 mm wide. The defining characters are not well differentiated and intermediates are known to occur. The ovary is hirsute, not glabrous as stated by Rechinger (1964: 486). [ Sa’ad 1967: 151; Collenette 1999: 228 (photo); Daoud and Al-Rawi 1985 (Plates 215-217)]

Distribution.

Principally around the head of the Persian/Arabian Gulf: Iran (Kasy 356); Iraq (Rawi & Rechinger 17242, Rechinger 8812); Kuwait (Dickson 60, 748, Rawi et al. 10521); Saudi Arabia (Holm 60, Mandaville 552, Collenette 2497, 9406).

Notes.

Mandaville (1990: 246) suggests that the distinguishing features of subsp. bushiricus may be the result of seasonal or edaphic factors. This seems unlikely in the case of Convolvulus cephalopodus as only material from around the head of the Gulf seems to conform to subsp. bushiricus .

Convolvulus euphraticus is similar morphogically but has consistently larger heads c. 2.5 cm in diameter as opposed to 1.5 cm in diameter in Convolvulus cephalopodus subsp. bushiricus .