CALYSTEGIA SEPIUM subsp. SEPIUM

Family:- CONVOLVULACEAE

Common Name:- Hedge bindweed, Larger bindweed, Bellvine

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