When you see a low-growing morning glory that doesn’t twine or bind, but instead sits demurely on the earth surrounded by a small mat of hairy silvery leaves, you are probably looking at hillside morning glory, or Coast Range false bindweed (Calystegia collina). The photos below are of a sub-species that can often be seen in Marin on hillsides with serpentine soils – Calystegia collina ssp. collina. I saw this specimin on the Pine Mountain trail.
One thing that is tricky for a returning botanist like me is that Calystegia was known as Convovulvus back when I was first learning my plants. Yet another pesky name change to keep us on our toes!