316 Convoluulacee—Convolvulus. - 
parasites with slender thread-like stems and clusters of small 
flowers. Two species are indigenous, one of which (C. Epithymum) 
is common on Heather and other dwarf plants, and the other (C. 
Europa) is a stouter plant, much rarer, and usually found on 
Nettles or Vetches. One or two exotic species have been 
introduced with Flax and Clover seeds, and have often much 
damaged the crops they prey upon. 
1. CONVOLVULUS (including Calystégia). 
Annual or perennial herbs with cordate, sagittate or lobate 
leaves and solitary or racemose axillary showy flowers with 
or without conspicuous bracts. Corolla funnel- or salver- 
shaped, plaited. Capsule 2-celled ; cells usually 2-seeded. A 
large genus comprising nearly 100 species, found in temperate 
and tropical regions. The name is from the Latin convolvo, 
to entwine. 
Our native species of Convdlvulus are all perennial and very 
handsome, though they are too common to gain many admirers. 
C. arvénsis is the creeping species with white or pink flowers, 
often a great pest in cultivated ground; C. sépiwm is the 
large white-flowered plant of hedgerows; and C. Soldanélla is 
a trailing maritime plant with pink or pale purple flowers. 
1. C. tricolor (fig. 177).— This charming little South 
European annual is the Convélvulus minor of seedsmen. 
Fig. 177, Convolvulus tricolor, (} nat. size.) 
Description is hardly necessary. Suffice it to say that it is a 
decumbent plant with silky foliage and large solitary tricoloured 
