CALYSTEGIA SEPIUM subsp. SEPIUM

Family and Genus:- See- CONVOLVULACEAE

Common Name:- Hedge bindweed, Larger bindweed, Bellvine

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Calystegia (Gr) Calyx-cover.

Sepium (Gr) Sepia-coloured, a cuttlefish.

General description:- Variable vigorous climbing and twining perennial, hairy or

hairless.

Stems:-

1) To 3m, strongly twisting and climbing.

Leaves:-

1) More or less sagittate, sinus with divergent sides.

Flowers:-

1) Corolla, usually 30-50 mm, white or rarely pale pink.

2) Peduncle, without a narrow, repand wing.

3) Bracteoles, 10-15 x 5-20 mm, not or scarcely overlapping, the sides not closely

investing the calyx, acute or rarely subobtuse at the apex, flat or keeled at the

base.

4) Stamens, (15-)17-23(-25) mm.

5) Anthers, 4-6 mm.

Fruit:-

1) A capsule.

Key features:-

1) Stems, strongly twisting and climbing.

2) Leaves, not reniform. Usually shortly acute at the apex.

3) Corolla, white, usually not more than 50 mm.

4) Bracteoles, rarely more than 15 mm wide, not overlapping, flat or keeled at the

base.

5) Stamens, not more than 23(-25) mm.

6) Leaf-sinus, acute.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Coastal salt-marshes, reed swamps, sandy and waste places, hedges

and thickets by streams.

Distribution:- Widespread around the Mediterranean. Rare on Crete, known only

from a few locations.

Flowering time:- May-July.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton