Cuscuta.} CONVOLVULACEJC. 173 



seeded. — Name from convolvo, to entwine : whence, too, the 

 English name Bindweed. Pentandria. Monogynia. 



* With two small bracteas remote from the calyx. 



l.C. arvensis, Linn. Small Bindweed. Stem climbing; leaves 

 sagittate, their lobes acute; peduncles mostly single-flowered; 

 bracteas minute, distant from the flower. Br. Fl. \.p. 96. E. 

 Fl. v. i. p. 284. E. Bot. t. 312. 



Corn-fields, hedges, &c. especially in a light soil. Fl. June, July. 

 %. — Flowers rather small, rose-coloured. Root running very deep 

 into the ground and difficult of extirpation. 



* * With two large bracteas applied to the calyx. (Calystegia. 



Br.) 



2. C. Sepinm, Linn. Great Bindweed. Stem climbing ; 

 leaves sagittate, the lobes truncate ; peduncles 4-sided, single- 

 flowered ; bracteas large, heart-shaped, close to the flower. Br. 

 Fl. 1. p. 96. E. Fl. v. i. p. 284. E. Bot. t. 313. 



Moist woods and hedges. Fl. July, Aug. %. — Much larger than 

 the last in every part. Flowers very large, showy, pure white, rarely 

 pink. 



3. C. Soldanella, Linn. Sea Bindweed. Stem prostrate ; 

 leaves reniform, fleshy ; peduncles 4-sided, single-flowered, their 

 angles winged ; bracteas large, ovate, close to the calyx. Br. 

 Fl. 1. p. 96. E. Fl. v. i. p. 284. E. Bot. t. 314. 



Sea-shore in sandy and gravelly places. Portmarnock and other 

 places near Dublin. Fl. June — Aug. %. — Root long, creeping. 

 Flower.s few, large, rose-coloured. " Capsules of 3 — 4 cells, less 

 frequently of 2, never of 1." (Mr. J. Wilson) Hooker. 



2. Ccscuta. Linn. Dodder. 



Calyx 4 — 5-cleft. Corolla campanulate, 4 — 5-lobed. Capsule 

 bursting all round transversely at the base, 2-celled, with the 

 cells 2-seeded. — Parasitical leafless plants, with long twining 

 filiform stems. — Name, the same as KaaavOa, probably from 

 the Arabic Keshout. (Theis.J 



Pentandria. Digynia. 



1. C. europ&a, Linn. Greater Dodder. Flowers nearly 

 sessile; corolla with reflexed segments. Br. Fl. 1. p. 112. E. 

 Fl.v.n.p.24. E. Bot. t. 378. 



Parasitical on the common flax. Fl. Aug. Sept. ©. — Stems very 

 large, red, having small tubercles and papillae, which act as roots. 

 Flowers clustered, of a pale yellowish rose colour. — The lesser Dodder 

 ( C. Epithymutn) which grows parasitically on furze, heath and other 

 plants in England and Scotland, has not yet been found in Ireland. 



