CONVOLVULACE^E. (CONVOLVULUS FAMILY.) 367 



oblong-lanceolate, acute ; lobes of the rather broad corolla ovate-triangular or 

 triangular-lanceolate, thickly hirsute outside. Alluvial grounds, W. New York 

 to Minn., south to Ga. and Tex. 



Var. m611e, Gray. Pubescence shorter and less spreading or appressed, 

 1-2 high; leaves mostly smaller (2" long), when young softly strigose-canes- 

 cent beneath. (0. molle, Michx.) 111. to Minn., Tex., and westward. 



9. SYMPHYTUM, Tourn. COMFREY. 



Corolla oblong-tubular, inflated above, 5-toothed , the short teeth spread- 

 ing ; the throat closed with 5 converging linear-awl-shaped scales. Stamens 

 included ; anthers elongated. Style thread-form. Nutlets smooth, ovate, 

 erect, fixed by the large hollowed base, which is finely toothed on its mar- 

 gin. Coarse perennial herbs, with thickened bitterish mucilaginous roots ; 

 the nodding raceme-like clusters either single or in pairs. (Ancient Greek 

 name from <ry/x0e?i/, to grow together, probably for its reputed healing virtues.) 



S. OFFICINA.LE, L. (COMMON COMFREY.) Hairy, branched, winged 

 above by the decurrent leaves ; the lower leaves ovate-lanceolate, tapering 

 into a petiole, the upper narrower ; corolla yellowish-white, rarely purplish. 

 Moist places ; escaped from gardens. June. (Adv. from Eu.) 



10. LYCOPSIS, L. BUGLOSS. 



Corolla funnel-shaped, with curved tube and slightly unequal limb ; the 

 throat closed with 5 convex obtuse bristly scales opposite the lobes. Stamens 

 and style included. Nutlets rough-wrinkled, erect, fixed by a hollowed-out 

 base. Annuals. (Name from Au/cos, a wolf, and #tjas,/ace.J 



L. ARVENSIS, L. (SMALL BUGLOSS.) Very rough-bristly (1 high); 

 leaves lanceolate ; flowers in leafy raceme-like clusters ; calyx as long as the 

 tube of the small blue corolla. Dry or sandy fields, New Eng. to Va. ; 

 scarce. (Adv. from Eu.) 



11. ECHIUM, Tourn. VIPER'S BUGLOSS. 



Corolla with a cylindraceous or funnel-form tube, and a more or less un- 

 equal spreading 5-lobed border; lobes rounded, the expanded throat naked. 

 Stamens mostly exserted, unequal. Style thread-form. Nutlets roughened or 

 wrinkled, fixed by a flat base. (A name of Dioscorides, from ex ts > a viper.) 



E. VULGARE, L. (BLUE-WEED.) Rough-bristly biennial; stem erect 

 (2 high), mostly simple ; stem-leaves linear-lanceolate, sessile ; flowers showy, 

 in short lateral clusters, disposed in a long and narrow thyrsus ; corolla red- 

 dish-purple changing to brilliant blue (rarely pale). Roadsides and meadows 

 of the Middle Atlantic States. June. (Nat. from Eu.) 



ORDER 73. CONVOLVULACEJE. (CONVOLVULUS FAMILY.) 



Chiefly twining or trailing herbs, often with some milky juice, with 

 alternate leaves (or scales) and regular 5-androus flowers ; a calyx of 5 

 imbricated sepals , a 5-plaited or 5-lobed corolla convolute or twisted in 

 the bud (imbricate in n. 6) ; a 2-celled (rarely 3-celled) ovary (or in one 

 tribe 2 separate pistils), with a pair of erect ovules in each cell, the cells 

 sometimes doubled by a false partition between the seeds, so becoming 

 4-celled ; the embryo large, curved or coiled in mucilaginous albumen. 

 Fruit a globular 2-6-seeded capsule. Flowers mostly showy, on axil- 

 lary peduncles; pedicels articulated, often 2-bracted. (Many are culti- 



