S0 THE CONVOLVULUS FAMILY. [Convolvulus 



but prostrate or scarcely climbing, seldom attaining above 2 feet in 

 length. Leaves stalked, ovate-sagittate, 1^ inches long ; the lobes of 

 the base spreading and pointed, or angular. Peduncles axillary, 

 usually 2-flowered, with 2 small bracts at their fork, and a third on 

 one of the pedicels, at some distance from the flower. Sepals small 

 and broad. Corolla of a delicate pink, or nearly white, an inch or 

 rather more in diameter. Lobes of the style narrow-linear. Capsule 

 divided into 2 cells by a thin partition. 



In fields and pastures, throughout Europe and central and Eussian 

 Asia, except the extreme north. Common and often a troublesome 

 weed in England and Ireland, but local in Scotland. Fl. all 

 summer. 



2. O. sepitun, Linn. (fig. 687). Larger B. Rootstock creeping as 

 in 0. arvensis; the twining stems climb to the length of many feet 

 over hedges and bushes. Leaves broadly ovate or triangular, pointed, 

 with broad, angular lobes at the base. Peduncles bearing a single 

 large flower of a pure white, with a pair of large, leafy bracts im- 

 mediatoly under the calyx, and completely enclosing it. Stigmas 

 obovate-oblong. Capsule without any partition between the seeds. 

 Calystegia scpium, Br. 



In hedges and bushy places throughout Europe and Russian Asia, 

 except the extreme north, and in North and South America and 

 Australia. Abundant in England and Ireland, but local in Scotland. 

 Fl. summer. This and the following species are, on account of their 

 large bracts, often removed from Convolvulus as a distinct genus, under 

 the name of Calystegia. 



3. O. Soldanella, Linn. (fig. 688). Sea B. Rootstock creeping. 

 Stems short, prostrate and scarcely twining. Leaves small, thick, 

 broadly rounded or kidney-shaped, with broad, rounded or angular 

 lobes at the base. Peduncles 1-flowered, with the 2 large bracts of 

 C. sepium. Corolla nearly as large as in that species, of a light pink 

 colour, the stigmas longer and more pointed than in C. sepium, but 

 shorter and broader than in O. arvensis. Calystegia Soldanella, Br. 



In maritime sands, in the temperate regions of both the northern and 

 southern hemispheres, scarcely penetrating into the tropics. Not un- 

 common on the coasts of England, Ireland, and southern Scotland. 

 FL summer. 



II. CUSCTJTA. DODDER 



Annual, parasitical, leafless herbs, with twining, thread-like stems, 

 attaching themselves to the plants on which they grow by minute 

 tubercles ; the small, nearly globular flowers in lateral heads or clusters. 

 Calyx coloured like the corolla, deeply 4- or 5 -cleft. Corolla with a 

 broad tube, and 4 or 5 usually spreading lobes, and as many small 

 scales inside the tube. Styles 2, distinct from the base, or, in some 

 exotic species, united to near the top. Capsule globular, with 4 seeds 

 in 2 cells. 



A genus widely spread over the globe, comprising a considerable 

 number of species, and still more numerous varieties, remarkable as 

 showing great general similarity of aspect, but much diversity in minute 



