Convolvulus sepium

Hedge Bindweed

Hedge bindweed has, according to Uva, Neal and Tomaso's Weeds of the Northeast an "extensive but relatively shallow (to 30 cm) root system, with an extensive, deep system of branched, fleshy rhizomes."

Field bindweed, they report, has an "extensive and deep (6m or more) rhizome system."

That's an impressively deep system of rhizomes. Criminally deep, some might say !

The question is, then, how deep are the "branched fleshy rhizomes" of the hedge bindweed ?

And why are Uva, Neal and Tomaso so blatantly ambiguous on the topic of relative rhizomatous depth of bindweeds ? One might even say they are hedging ! Could they harbor an unprofessional and indulgent fondness for one bindweed over another ? Overlooking its criminal tendencies, cutting it reams of slack, describing it with a Karl Rovian spin ?

Are they playing botanical favorites ?

And what is a rhizome, anyway ?

("A creeping underground stem." Oh.)