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BRITISH FLOWERING PLANTS 



There are three British species of Convolvulus, 

 or Bindweed, and other species are grown in our 

 gardens, often with very ornamental flowers. The 

 Small Bindweed {Convolvulus arvensis), has ovate 

 or lanceolate leaves, and the flowers are pink or 

 white. There are two small bracts on the stalk, 

 not close to the flower. It is common in fields 

 and waste places, trailing over the other herbage, 

 often in large masses. The Larger Convolvulus 

 (Convolvulus septum) has broad leaves, expanded 

 at the base and pointed towards the tip, and large 

 white or occasionally pink flowers, and is usually 

 met with climbing up hedges or bushes. Near the 

 flowers are two large bracts. The Sea Convolvulus 

 (Convolvulus soldanella), has large pink flowers, 

 and grows on sandy ground near the sea. The 

 bracts are placed as in the last species. 



Among others, the caterpillars of three very 

 interesting moths feed on Convolvulus. One is 

 the Convolvulus Hawk-Moth (Sphinx convolvuli). 

 The caterpillar is brown or green, with dull yellow 

 stripes on the sides, and the moth, which measures 

 4 or 5 inches across the wings, is varied with 



brown and grey, and the abdomen is marked with 

 interrupted pink transverse bands. 



Emmelia trabealis is a small slender moth 

 nearly an inch across the wings, which are sulphur- 

 yellow, with black lines and spots ; the hindwings 

 are brown. It is found by day in weedy places 

 (especially on the edges of cornfields), where its 

 caterpillar, which is green or brown with a yellow 

 stripe on the sides, feeds on bindweed. It is not 

 common in Britain, but is found occasionally in 

 the eastern counties of England. 



The caterpillars of several Plume Moths belong- 

 ing to the genus Pterophorus, in which the fore- 

 wings are more or less divided into two distinct 

 feathers, and the hindwings into three, feed on 

 Convolvulus; among others, that of the largest 

 species, the White Plume Moth (Pterophorus fienta- 

 dactylus), a very delicate creature, with snow- 

 white wings often exceeding an inch in expanse, 

 and long slender legs, which, but for their white 

 colour, might almost remind us of those of a 

 Daddy Longlegs. It is often common in weedy 

 places, looking like a snowflake. 



