Polemonium.] LI. POLEMONIACEJS. 805 



and America, extending also in the mountain-regions of central Europe, 

 and Asia. In Britain it is found apparently indigenous in several parts 

 of the north of England, but has been so long cultivated in cottage 

 gardens, and seeds so readily, that it cannot be pronounced with cer- 

 tainty to be truly indigenous. Fl. summer. 



LII. CONVOLVULACEJB. CONVOLVULUS FAMILY. 



Herbs usually twining or prostrate (rarely, in some exotic 

 species, erect or shrubby), with alternate leaves, or leafless 

 and parasitical ; the flowers, often very showy, growing singly 

 or several together on axillary peduncles. Calyx of 4 or 5 

 distinct sepals, often very unequal. Corolla usually cam- 

 panulate (but varying in form in exotic species), plaited in the 

 bud, with 4 or 5 lobes, or nearly entire. Stamens 4 or 5, 

 attached near the base of the corolla. Ovary and capsule 

 containing 2, 4, or 6 seeds, and often divided into 2, 3, or 4 

 cells, the partitions very thin, and remaining attached to the 

 central column, and not to the valves, when the capsule bursts. 

 Style simple, with 2 or rarely 3 stigmatic lohes, or 2 distinct 

 styles. 



An Order rather numerous in species, and widely spread over the 

 warmer and temperate parts of the globe. The exotic genus Ipomcea, 

 including Pharbitis and Quamoclit, often separated from it, supplies 

 some of our most beautiful greenhouse and hothouse climbers. 



Stem leafy. Corolla campanulate 1. CONVOLVULUS. 



Stem thread-like, without leaves, parasitical on other plants. 



Corolla nearly globular 2. CUSCUTA. 



I. CONVOLVULUS. CONVOLVULUS, Bindweed. 



Twining or prostrate herbs (or in some exotic species erect), with 

 alternate leaves. Sepals 5. Corolla campanulate. Style single, with 

 2 oblong or linear stigmatic lobes. Capsule with 4 seeds in 1 or 2 

 cells. 



A large genus, having the geographical range of the family, but 

 more especially abounding in the Mediterranean region. 



Bracts small, and placed on the peduncle at some distance from 



the flower. Stigma narrow-linear . . . . . . 1. C. arvensis. 



Bracts large, close under the calyx. Stigma ovate or oblong. 



Stem climbing. Leaves angular at the base 2. C. tepium. 



Stem prostrate. Leaves thick, rounded 3. C. Soldanella. 



The common blue Convolvulus minor of our gardens (0. tricolor of 

 botanists) is a south European species ; the so-called Convolvulus major 

 is the Jpomosa or Pharbitis purpurea, a widely-spread species over the 

 hotter parts of the world, probably of American origin. 



1. C. arvensis, Linn. (fig. C86). Lesser Bindweed. Rootstock 

 slender, creeping underground to a great extent. Stems twining, 



U 



