CONVOLVULUS ARVENSIS

Family:- CONVOLVULACEAE

Common Name:- Field bindweed

Synonyms:- Convolvulus sagittifolius, Strophocaulos arvensis.

Meaning:- Convolvulus (L) Entwined. A name used by the Roman naturalist and

philosopher Pliny.

Arvensis (L) Of the cultivated field, of ploughed fields.

General description:- Variable, slightly hairy or hairless, stoloniferous perennial.

Stems:-

1) Up to 200 cm, slender, trailing or twining, herbaceous.

Leaves:-

1) Alternate, simple, petiolate, triangular or ovate-oblong to linear, hastate to

sagittate, more or less entire. up to 40mm long at the most.

Flowers:-

1) Radially symmetrical, either uniformly white or pink, or with yellowish white

stripes, from 15-30 mm diam. solitary or by 2 on stems shorter than the

underlying leaf. Weakly scented.

2) Sepals obtuse to emarginate, apiculate.

3) Stamens 5, equal between them, inserted into the base of the corolla.

4) Ovary glabrous.

Fruit:-

1) Capsules. rounded, globe-like.

Key features:-

1) Leaves more or less entire.

2) Sepals obtuse to emarginate, often apiculate.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Cultivated, waste and fallow land, roadsides, scrub, occasionally on sand-

dunes. 0-1400 m.

Distribution:- Widespread and common across the Mediterranean. Fairly

widespread and common across Crete.

Flowering time:- Apr-Sept.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton