''Convolvulus erubescens'', commonly known as blushing bindweed, or Australian bindweed, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Convolvulaceae Convolvulaceae (), commonly called the bindweeds or morning glories, is a family of about 60 genera and more than 1,650 species. These species are primarily herbaceous vines, but also include trees, shrubs and herbs. The tubers of several spec ...

'' that is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to Australia.

Description

''Convolvulus erubescens'' has trailing and twining stems and variable leaves, ovate to triangular or arrow-shaped, 25–55 mm long and 2–40 mm wide and may have numerous or occasional hairs. The leaves may end with a small distinct point, rounded or sometimes a broad shallow notch. The leaf edges are smooth at the base becoming lobed or toothed toward the apex with ascending, flattened hairs. The mid-green leaves are on a stalk up to long. The

inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed o ...

consists of 1-3 rosy-pink, white or mauve funnel-shaped flowers, 7–15 mm long, 8–20 mm in diameter, with a pale, greenish throat. The cluster of flowers are usually on needle-shaped stalks long covered with soft flattened hairs. Flowering occurs mainly in late spring and early autumn but may flower throughout the year in some locations. The seed capsules are roughly spherical in shape long and in diameter and with a smooth surface.

Taxonomy and naming

''Convolvulus erubescens'' was first formally described in 1807 by John Sims and the description was published in ''

Botanical Magazine ''The Botanical Magazine; or Flower-Garden Displayed'', is an illustrated publication which began in 1787. The longest running botanical magazine, it is widely referred to by the subsequent name ''Curtis's Botanical Magazine''. Each of the issue ...

''. The

specific epithet In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

(''erubescens'') is derived from the

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

meaning "reddening" or "blushing" possibly referring to the flowers.

Distribution and habitat

Blushing bindweed is found in coastal and subcoastal areas where it inhabits eucalypt forests, the margins of rainforests, grassy woodlands and grasslands. Found growing in all states, and the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory ...

of Australia.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5166608 erubescens Flora of New South Wales Flora of the Northern Territory Flora of Queensland Flora of South Australia Flora of Tasmania Flora of Victoria (Australia) Eudicots of Western Australia