SMALL BINDWEED. 64 



are honeyed, and are much frequented by long-tongued insects, 

 which have to push against the anthers in order to reach the 

 honey, carrying away pollen with which to fertilize another 

 flower. Like a careful, thrifty plant the Bindweed closes in wet 

 weather, and at night, that its honey may not be reduced in 

 quality. It flowers from June to September. 



The Hooded Bindweed (C. sefiiunt) is one of the most distinguished of our wild 

 flowers, and it is almost impossible to see its large, pure white flowers ornamenting 

 the hedge without desiring to acquire them. In general form it is like C. arziensis^ 

 but very much larger. Instead of being content to twine among low-growing herbs 

 as that species, it climbs up the thickets to a height of 6 or 7 feet. In addition to 

 the calyx this species has an enveloping pair of large inflated heart-shaped bracts 

 the '"' hood " of its popular name. The rootstock is thick and tuberous. Though 

 it possesses honey it is not odorous, and appears to be, in consequence, but little 

 visited by insects ; it is, therefore, careless of the quality of its honey, and does not 

 close its flowers in the rain, nor on moonlight nights, though it does so on dark 

 nights. Sometimes the flowers are tinged or streaked with pink. Flowers June to 

 August. 



There is a third native species, the Seaside Convolvulus (C. soldanella), which 

 does not twine, or but rarely. It has a long creeping rhizome, slender stems, and 

 fleshy, kidney-shaped leaves. Its large rosy flowers are not numerous. There are 

 two bracts, as in C. septum^ but they are smaller than the unequal sepals. It may 

 frequently be found on sandy shores, and flowers from June to August. 



The Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus). 



We have already described (page 6 ante) a plant bearing the 

 name of Lesser Celandine, and we would at once warn the 

 reader that the Greater Celandine is not even distantly related 

 to the Lesser. Here is an illustration of the dangers that arise 

 from dependence upon the folk-names of plants and animals. 

 The novice would reasonably assume that the Lesser and the 

 Greater Celandines differed only in point of size, whereas the 

 resemblance that struck our forefathers appears to have 

 consisted merely in both plants being in flower what time the 

 swallow (Chelidori) returns to our shores. Chelidonium majus 

 is really a kind of poppy, whilst Ranunculus ficaria is a 

 buttercup. 



There is only one British species of Chelidonium, a perennial 



