Convolvulus rottlerianus - Rottler Bindweed

Rottler Bindweed is a diffusely branched herb, 20-25 cm high. The species name is in honor of Johan Peter Rottler (1749-1836) French-born Indian cleric and botanist. Branches are appressed-hairy. Leaves are 1.5-5.4 cm long, 2-8 mm broad, stalkless, appressed silky-hairy, linear-inverted-lanceshaped to linear, narrowed, pointed. Flowering is throughout the length of the stem. Flowers arise in leaf-axils, 1-2, on slender flower-cluster-stalks, 2.0-3.2 cm long. Bracts are linear-inverted-lanceshaped, upper bracts linear. Bracteoles are about 3 mm long, linear. Flower-stalks are short, as long as or slightly longer than the bracteoles. Sepals are 4-5 mm long, hairy, the outer bigger, obovate, tapering, inner obovate, with a tail, both halves membranous and hairless. Flowers are 7-8 mm long. Ovary is hairless, style thread-like, 1½ to 2 times the length of stigma. Capsules are 5 x 4 mm, nearly spherical, hairless, seeds 4, brown-black, 2 mm long, white-velvet-hairy. Rottler Bindweed is found in Ethiopia, Pakistan to W. India. Flowering: September-December.