User:Sophnz/sandbox

Introduction
Calystegia tuguriorum , also known as New Zealand Bindweed, and it's Māori name, Pōhue or Pōwhiwhi. Is found through out New Zealand, including Stewart Island. It is also found in Chile, the Juan Fernandez islands, and the Chatham Islands.

Etymology
The name Calystegia tuguriorum comes from the Greek language. Calystegia is derived from the Greek word kalyx (meaning "cup"), and stege (meaning a "covering"). tuguriorum means "growing around huts" in Greek

Description
New Zealand Bindweed is a herbaceous perennial plant. It has thin stems that can grow to over four meter in length, which grow outwards, covering anything in its path. This can cause it to smother other plants, damaging or killing them. When it grows over an existing plant it will block the sunlight from reaching the original plant, restricting it from photosynthesizing. It can also grow up trees and along walls. The stems can also bunch together forming a dense patch of stems and leaves. Calystegia tuguriorum will die back in winter when the temperatures are to low for the plant to produce flowers. Its deep rhizome roots structures will let it survive through winter, and when spring arrives the stems will start growing outwards again. It has single arrow shaped leaves, which are green in colour, that are arranged in an alternative pattern. The petioles grow up to 40mm in length. The bisexual flowers are white in colour, tubular in shape, and bloom from early September to late March (Spring and Summer). Each flowers ordinarily produces 1-2 fruit which contains seed capsules. The seed capsules contains around 4 seeds per piece of fruit. The seeds are orange and colour and have a hard exterior, which is water impermeable when the seed is ripe .The roots systems quickly expand through the surface soil and into the deeper profiles of the soil. This gives it a good root structure and provides and plant with stability. This can make it difficult to fully remove the plant, because it can regrow from a small piece of root or seed. The roots have a rhizome structure and are white in colour.

Habitat
Calystegia tuguriorum  is found throughout New Zealand, including Stewart island and the Chatham islands. As well as throughout Chile and the Juan Fernandez islands. Throughout New Zealand it is found in coastal and low-lying areas. It is also found around the edges of wetlands and forests. New Zealand Bindweed is also used for planting in gardens. Because it grows quickly and smothers surrounding plant life, it can overtake area overtime if there is nothing to prevent it growing.  Calystegia tuguriorum  has been known to grow into the canopies in low forested areas.

Distribution
New Zealand Bindweed uses both water and wind transportation to distribute it's seeds. It also utilizes birds and sometimes insects which are attracted to the plant because of its orange-red fruit.

Growth and seeds
Seeds from Calystegia tuguriorum can lay in soil or on the surface for months before germinating and then sprouting. Germination of the seeds can occur during temperatures of 5°C - 25°C, and does not require a period of colder temperatures like other species. Although the seeds can germinate during a range in temperature, more seeds germinate when higher temperatures occur. As the it grows it will expand its root systems to the surround areas, to provide it with more nutrients and structure within the soil. The stems will break the soil surface layer and start to spread across the ground, and start growing leaves and flowers(if in spring or summer) are it expands. The seeds capsules are brown in colour and smooth to the touch. They appear oval or spherical in shape and are hard to break open. The seeds are dispersed mainly by water distribution, then by wind, birds and sometimes insects.