12 
CONVOLVULUS italicus. 
The Italian Bindweed. 
—— ea 
PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Nat. ord. CONVOLVULACEÆ. (BINDWEEDSs. Vegetable Kingdom, p.630.) 
CONVOLVULUS.— Bot. Reg. vol. 2, fol. 133. 
C. italicus; caule foliisque hirsutis, foliis radicalibus cordatis rugosis 
repandis dentatis caulinis palmato-pedatis incisis, pedunculis bifloris 
folio longioribus. Gussone Flora Sicula, 1. 237. 
C. italicus. Romer & Sch. Syst. veg. 4. 266. 
C. hirsutus. Tenore, fl. nap. 1. 60. t. 15. 
+ 
According to Mr. Choisy this beautiful twiner is a mere 
variety of Convolvulus altheoides: but we agree with Prof. 
Gussone, and others, in regarding it as truly distinct. Its 
leaves have no trace of the silkiness so characteristic of that 
species, but are deep green, and covered with very coarse 
pubescence ; its flowers are much larger, and its calyx is 
guarded by long bristle-like hairs. 
It appears to be very common in the South of Europe, 
and in the North of Africa. We have it from both Egypt 
and Algiers. In those countries it decorates hedgerows, 
vineyards, and waste places, with its charming blossoms, in 
April and May. With us, however, it is an ornament of 
autumn. 
Our drawing was made in September, 1846, in the garden 
of the Horticultural Society, where it had been received from 
Messrs. Lowe and Co., of Clapton, under the name of C. 
Sibthorpii, a very different species. 
It is a hardy climbing perennial, which grows freely in 
any good garden soil, and dry situation. It is best suited for 
planting among stones, on a rockwork, or at the bottom of a 
bush or hedge, where it can scramble over the outer twigs, 
March, 1847. F 
