146 
THE LADIES’ FLOWER-GARDEN 
gloomy weather and at night, the French call it Belle-de-Jour. The seeds are now common in every seed-shop. 
When the seeds are sown, a shallow drill should be made for them, forming a circle ; or three or four straight 
drills should be made across a bed in which the seeds may be dropped and covered lightly over. When the 
plants come up, they should be thinned out so as to stand an inch apart. The plants require a dry situation, 
and rather a rich light soil. The usual time of sowing is April, in which case the plants will come into flower 
in July; but as they are quite hardy the seeds may be sown in autumn to stand the winter, when the plants 
will flower in May. 
2.—CONVOLVULUS PURPUREUS, 
Engraving. —Bot. Mag. t. 113. 
Synonymes. —Pharbitis hispida, Choisy; Ipomrea glandulifera, 
Ruiz et Pavon ; Convolvulus major, Hort. 
Varieties. —C. p. 2 elatior, Sims, Bot. Mag. t. 1005 ; and our 
fig. 6, in Plate 25. A most beautiful plant with while flowers, 
marked with five spots like the eyes in a peacock’s tail, elegantly 
shaded with blue and carmine. It comes true from seed, and is so 
distinct that Dr. Sims, who first described it, had marked it as a 
species, till on closer examination he discovered that it did not possess 
characters sufficient to establish a specific difference. It is quite hardy, 
and only requires to be sown in a warm sheltered situation, and in a rich 
light soil. It was first observed in 1804 in the Fulham nursery, and 
Lin. TIIE PURPLE CONVOLVULUS. 
from its great beauty it soon became a favourite, but it is now rarely 
to be met with. 
C. p. 3 varius, Sims, Bot. Mag. t. 1682. A very distinct variety 
marked with dark blue stripes on a white ground, and the rays red and 
white. This kind was introduced about 1810 by the Hon. and Rev. 
W. Herbert, who received the seeds from Cadiz, and who informed 
Dr. Sims in 1815, (when the plant was figured in the Rot. Mag.) 
that the colours had come true from seed in Mr. Herbert's garden for 
five generations. 
Specific Character. —Leaves cordate, acuminated, entire ; auri¬ 
cles diverging. Peduncles usually exceeding the leaves, 3—5 flowered, 
somewhat umbellate. Sepals ovate-lanceolate, acute—(G. Don.) 
Description, &c. —The purple or major Convolvulus has long been a favourite in our gardens. It is a native of 
Asia and South America, and it appears to have been introduced into England at a very early period, as it is 
mentioned in 1629 by Parkinson, who calls it the greater blue Bindweed, or Bell-flower with round leaves. 
Parkinson also mentions that this kind and Convolvulus Nil were sent to England from Italy, “ but whether 
they had them from the East Indies or some of the Eastern countries on this side,” he adds, “ we know not; but 
they thrive reasonable w T ell in our country if the year be anything kindly.” This species was placed in the genus 
Convolvulus by Linnaeus; it was afterwards included in the genus Ipomoea by Zuccagni, who published some 
botanical works at Florence, in 1806; and lastly it was placed in the genus Pharbitis, of which indeed it may be 
considered the type, by Choisy a Swiss botanist, in 1821. The botanical differences between Convolvulus and 
Pharbitis are, that in the former the ovarium is two-celled and two-seeded, while in the latter the ovarium is 
three and sometimes four-celled, and three-seeded. The seeds of C. purpureus may be bought in any seed-shop 
under the name of Convolvulus major; and they should either be sown at the foot of a wall, or stuck like peas, 
as their long slender stems (which are sometimes ten feet or twelve feet high) require support. This species 
being more tender than C. tricolor , requires a warmer situation ; and when wanted to flower early, the plants 
may be raised in a hotbed, and planted out in May. The flowers vary very much ; displaying many shades 
and combinations of white, reddish purple, bluish purple, and violet, besides the decided varieties which we have 
already mentioned. The seeds should be sown in the same way as those of the Minor Convolvulus. 
.3.—CONVOLVULUS SICULUS, Lin. 
Engravings. —Bot. Mag. t. 445 ; and our fig. 4, in Plate 25. 
Specific Character. —Stems trailing. Leaves cordate-ovate, su¬ 
perior ones acute, all hairy. Peduncles 1-flowered, shorter than the 
THE SICILIAN CONVOLVULUS. 
leaves. Bracteas lanceolate below the calyx. Sepals hairy, ovate, 
acute.—Stems filiform, angular, beset with adpressed hairs above and 
spreading ones at bottom_(G. Don.) 
Description, &c. —This species has smaller flowers than any other of the genus. The stems are slender and 
