Rare Native Plant found in our local parks!

Australian Bindweed

Convolvulus Erubescens

The current profile picture is an exciting find in our local park.  It is an Australian native plant that is endemic to our area and yet not often seen.  It's common name is Australian Bindweed and it's scientific name is Convolvulus Erubescens.  There is a good sized patch in Kev Hooper Park which is an Inala Bushcare site and also some smaller patches in CJ Greenfield Park which is another local park, so far without an Inala Bushcare group looking after it. This plant is described in Mangroves to Mountains Volume 2 as "Prostrate, trailing plant, sometimes climbing, widespread in western areas.  Leaves alternate, variable, to 6 cm.  20 mm pink or white axillary flowers most of the year".  Our first impression was amazement at the different shapes of the leaves.  The juvenile leaves are almost straight with just a small division on the end.  Yet as the leaf grows its shape changes totally to the adult form of a heart shaped leaf.  We have been interested in native plants for many years and have observed native plants in many environments, but we hadn't seen this one until the local find, so it was an exceptional discovery. Later we found another few patches in CJ Greenfield Park as well, so it seems apparent that it is endemic to our area which is an incredibly exciting find.