34 

 HEDGE BINDWEED; WILD 

 MORNING GLORY. 

 This attractive flower belongs to 

 the Convolvulus Family, a small 

 group of climbing or twining plants 

 having regular, perfect bell or fun- 

 nel-shaped flowers. Trailing through 

 any wayside hedges, thickets or along 

 old fences or walls, we are apt to 

 find Wild Morning Glory firmly em- 

 bracing the object of its support. In 

 one large swamp I have found this 

 plant showing a marked preference 

 for climbing the stalks of Turk's-cap 

 Lilies, which grow there in profusion, 

 with the result that the strangle hold 

 secured by the present species usual- 

 ly results in the distortion, wilting or death of the support- 

 ing plant. Bindweed is a plant of very rapid growth and 

 is said to often make a complete turn in its left-handed 

 spiral within two hours. 



The flowers, at least until after they have been fertilized, 

 open only during sunlight or sometimes during bright moon- 

 light, at such times as their long tongued insect benefactors 

 are apt to be abroad. It is probably that its most useful 

 visitors are some of the sphinx moths that visit it after dark. 

 Each of the five white stripes that alternate with the pink 

 ones on the corolla of the flowers, lead to a nectary in the 

 base, entrance to which is gained only through long tubes, 

 thus preventing short-tongued insects, not capable of bene- 

 fitting the flower, from partaking of its sweets. This orna- 

 mental plant remains in bloom from June until September. 



COMMON DODDER is closely related to the last spe- 

 cies but in addition to the climbing and twining tendencies 

 of the latter, it is wholly parasitic and derives all its sus- 

 tenance from the juices of its victims. Starting from a tiny 

 seed the plant grows up the stem of a neighboring plant, 

 develops little "suckers" that penetrate the bark of its foster 

 parent, its roots wither away and it lives ever after upon 

 its unfortunate victim. The stem is leafless, yellowish- 

 orange and bears tiny bell-shaped whitish flowers. 



