Wild Flowers of Georgetown. 353 



each of the five petals, which have a wavy, almost fringed 

 contour, stands somewhat apart from the others on a 

 short stalk or claw, so that the flower cannot be mistaken 

 for any other. Near it we shall find the conspicuous 

 yellow papilionaceous flowers and ternate leaves of the 

 seaside pea, trailing and twining in a thick bush. Another 

 much larger papilionaceous plant, trailing but not twin- 

 ing, with big trifoliate leaves, long stout pods, and purple 

 flowers, is the seaside bean (Canavalia obtusifolia), 

 already mentioned. Its runners are mingled with the 

 long trailing stems of the nanny-foot convolvulus or sea- 

 side potato (Ipomxa pes-capra?), whose rather heart- 

 shaped leaves are cloven at the rounded end so as to 

 present some resemblance to the foot of a goat ; the 

 flowers are purplish and rather large. Two other con- 

 volvuluses are found twining on the bushes instead of 

 trailing on the sands: one resembles the common purple 

 convolvulus or wild potato already noticed. This and 

 the last are popularly named from their tuberous roots, 

 akin to the sweet potato (Ipomata batatas) , itself a con- 

 volvulus not unfrequently found running wild; not from 

 any affinity with the ordinary potato, which, as we have 

 seen, is a nightshade. The other convolvulus is a largo 

 handsome kind called the morning glory (I. tuba), 

 whose pure white blossoms, two or three inches across, 

 are only to be seen expanded towards dusk or in the 

 early morning. The seeds of this and the nanny-foot 

 convolvulus are downy with a brown plush-like pile, and 

 may be strung into necklaces, somewhat resembling, 

 though much inferior to, those made by the Indians from 

 the velvety seeds of the moorie (Quiina guianensis) , 

 sometimes seen in town. 



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