CONVOLVULACEiE. 87 
in diameter, with the dissepiment not reaching the apex, glabrous. 
Seeds large, subtrigonons, brownish-black, smooth. Plant glabrous. 
Large Bindweed. 
French, Liscron ties JIaies. German, Zaun Winde. 
This beautiful species of Convolvulus is well known and admired by every one, as 
it hangs its graceful festoons over our hedgerows, opening its white blossoms to the 
bright sunshine, and gathering their folds together as a rain-cloud foretells the approach 
of a shower, which would shatter their delicate texture. Many botanists no longer 
call this plant by the old familiar name of our childhood. It is known as Calystegia ; 
but we are glad to retain it here without artificial distinction as a Convolvulus. The 
lovely white blossoms last but for a single day ; hence they are called by the French 
" Belle de jour." They are, however, so rapidly succeeded by a profusion of buds 
ready to take their places, that the decay is unnoticed, and our attention is diverted 
from the flower which has lived " its little day," and is now no more. Beauty is not 
the sole merit of this plant ; the root has properties similar to those of C. Scammonia, 
from which the medicine known as scammony is obtained, and this species has been used 
as its substitute. Galen, as we are informed by Gerarde, recommends the leaves to be laid 
on hard swellings in order to disperse them. Gerarde will not admit, however, that 
any of the bindweeds are good as a medicine. He says, " they are not fit for medicine, 
and unprofitable weeds and hurtful to each thing that groweth next them, and were 
only administered by runnagat physickmongers, quacksalvers, old women leeches, 
abusers of physick, and deceivers of people." 
srEClE* ill— CONVOLVULUS SOLDANELLA. Linn. 
Plate DCCCCXXV. 
Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Yol. XVIII. Tab. MCCCXLI. Fig. 2. 
Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 2317. 
Calystegia Soldanella, R. Br. Choisy in I). C. Prod. p. 433. Hook. & Am. Brit. Fl. 
p. 280. 
Pootstock creeping. Stem procumbent, not climbing or twisted 
upon itself. Leaves fleshy, stalked, roundish or reniform, deeply 
cordate at the base, obtuse, entire. Peduncles axillary, 1-flowered. 
Bracteoles 2, close to the base of the calyx, very large, oval, 
obtuse, rather shorter than the calyx. Sepals rather unequal, 
oblong, obtuse, or abruptly acuminated, free nearly at the base. 
Corolla four or five times as long as the calyx. 
On sandy seashores. Uathcr local. In most of the English 
counties and those on the West of Scotland as far North as 
Argyleshire, but rare on the East coast, though it occurs in Eorfar 
in considerable plenty near Carnoustie. 
England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Summer. 
Pootstock slender, creeping to a great length amongst the 
