My Fascination with Convolvulus
I’ve always been drawn to the delicate beauty of Convolvulus, commonly known as bindweed or morning glory. These plants, with their twining stems and vibrant, funnel-shaped flowers, possess a charm that’s hard to resist. Their ability to climb and spread, creating a tapestry of colors, makes them a favorite among gardeners and nature enthusiasts alike.
A Diverse Genus
Convolvulus is a large genus, encompassing approximately 200 species. These species exhibit a wide range of growth habits, flower colors, and ecological adaptations. Some are annuals, completing their life cycle in a single year, while others are perennials, returning year after year. The flowers come in a spectrum of colors, including white, pink, purple, blue, and yellow.
Convolvulus Species
- Convolvulus acanthocladus Boiss. & Kotschy
- Convolvulus aitchisonii C.B.Clarke
- Convolvulus althaeoides L.
- Convolvulus ammannii Desr.
- Convolvulus angustissimus R.Br.
- Convolvulus argillicola Pilg.
- Convolvulus argyracanthus Rech.f., Aellen & Esfand.
- Convolvulus argyrothamnos Greuter
- Convolvulus arvensis L.
- Convolvulus aschersonii Engl.
- Convolvulus assyricus Griseb.
- Convolvulus asyrensis Kotschy
- Convolvulus aucheri Choisy
- Convolvulus austroafricanus J.R.I.Wood & Scotland
- Convolvulus bazmanensis Ranjbar, Ezazi & F.Ghahrem.
- Convolvulus × beguinotii Maire & Weiller
- Convolvulus betonicifolius Mill.
- Convolvulus bidentatus Bernh.
- Convolvulus bidrensis Sebsebe
- Convolvulus boedeckerianus Peter
- Convolvulus boissieri Steud.
- Convolvulus bonariensis Cav.
- Convolvulus bullerianus Rendle
- Convolvulus calvertii Boiss.
- Convolvulus canariensis L.
- Convolvulus cantabrica L.
- Convolvulus capensis Burm.f.
- Convolvulus capituliferus Franch.
- Convolvulus caput-medusae Lowe
- Convolvulus carduchorum P.H.Davis
- Convolvulus carrii B.L.Turner
- Convolvulus cassius Sam. ex Rech.f.
- Convolvulus cataonicus Boiss. & Hausskn.
- Convolvulus cephalophorus Boiss.
- Convolvulus cephalopodus Boiss.
- Convolvulus chilensis Pers.
- Convolvulus chinensis Ker Gawl.
- Convolvulus chondrilloides Boiss.
- Convolvulus clementii Domin
- Convolvulus cneorum L.
- Convolvulus coelesyriacus Boiss.
- Convolvulus commutatus Boiss.
- Convolvulus crenatifolius Ruiz & Pav.
- Convolvulus crispifolius F.Muell.
- Convolvulus × cyprius Boiss.
- Convolvulus demissus Choisy
- Convolvulus × despreauxii A.Santos & Carine
- Convolvulus divaricatus Regel & Schmalh.
- Convolvulus dorycnium L.
- Convolvulus dregeanus Choisy
- Convolvulus dryadum Maire
- Convolvulus durandoi Pomel
- Convolvulus elymaiticus Mozaff.
- Convolvulus ensifolius P.P.A.Ferreira & Sim.-Bianch.
- Convolvulus equitans Benth.
- Convolvulus eremophilus Boiss. & Buhse
- Convolvulus erinaceus Ledeb.
- Convolvulus erubescens Sims
- Convolvulus euphraticus Bornm.
- Convolvulus eyreanus R.W.Johnson
- Convolvulus farinosus L.
- Convolvulus fatmensis Kunze
- Convolvulus fernandesii P.Silva & Teles
- Convolvulus floridus L.f.
- Convolvulus fractosaxosus Petrie
- Convolvulus fruticosus Pall.
- Convolvulus fruticulosus Desr.
- Convolvulus galapagensis Andersson
- Convolvulus galaticus Rostius ex Choisy
- Convolvulus galpinii C.H.Wright
- Convolvulus germaniciae Boiss. & Hausskn.
- Convolvulus gharbensis Batt. & Pit.
- Convolvulus glaouorum Braun-Blanq. & Maire
- Convolvulus glomeratus Choisy
- Convolvulus gortschakovii Schrenk ex Fisch. & C.A.Mey.
- Convolvulus goyderi J.R.I.Wood
- Convolvulus gracillimus Rech.f.
- Convolvulus graminetinus R.W.Johnson
- Convolvulus grantii Balf.f.
- Convolvulus grigorjevii Kamelin
- Convolvulus hamadae (Vved.) Petrov
- Convolvulus hamrinensis Rech.f.
- Convolvulus hasslerianus (Chodat) O’Donell
- Convolvulus hermanniae L’Hér.
- Convolvulus hildebrandtii Vatke
- Convolvulus hirsutiflorus Dammann
- Convolvulus holosericeus M.Bieb.
- Convolvulus hormodensis Ranjbar & Ezazi
- Convolvulus humilis Jacq.
- Convolvulus hystrix Vahl
- Convolvulus incisodentatus J.R.I.Wood & Scotland
- Convolvulus iranicus J.R.I.Wood & Scotland
- Convolvulus jefferyi Verdc.
- Convolvulus jemensis Kotschy
- Convolvulus jordanensis Sa’ad
- Convolvulus kilimandschari Engl.
- Convolvulus koieanus Bornm.
- Convolvulus kossmatii Vierh.
- Convolvulus kotschyanus Boiss.
- Convolvulus krauseanus Regel & Schmalh.
- Convolvulus kurdistanicus Mozaff.
- Convolvulus laciniatus Desr.
- Convolvulus lanatus Vahl
- Convolvulus lanjouwii Sa’ad
- Convolvulus lanuginosus Desr.
- Convolvulus leiocalycinus Boiss.
- Convolvulus leptocladus Boiss.
- Convolvulus libanoticus Boiss.
- Convolvulus lilloi O’Donell
- Convolvulus lindbergii Sa’ad
- Convolvulus lineatus L.
- Convolvulus linoides Bornm.
- Convolvulus longipedicellatus Sa’ad
- Convolvulus lopezsocasii Svent.
- Convolvulus maireanus Pamp.
- Convolvulus mairei Halácsy
- Convolvulus massonii F.Dietr.
- Convolvulus mazicum Emb. & Maire
- Convolvulus meonanthus Hoffmanns. & Link
- Convolvulus microcalyx C.B.Clarke
- Convolvulus microsepalus R.W.Johnson
- Convolvulus mollissimus Bertol.
- Convolvulus montanus Ooststr.
- Convolvulus multifidus Thunb.
- Convolvulus namaquensis (Schltr. ex A.Meeuse) J.R.I.Wood & Scotland
- Convolvulus natalensis Bernh.
- Convolvulus ocellatus Hook.
- Convolvulus oleifolius Desr.
- Convolvulus oppositifolius Alfarhan
- Convolvulus oreophilus House
- Convolvulus oxyphyllus Boiss.
- Convolvulus oxysepalus Boiss.
- Convolvulus palaestinus Boiss.
- Convolvulus palustris Cav.
- Convolvulus peninsularis J.R.I.Wood & Scotland
- Convolvulus pentapetaloides L.
- Convolvulus persicus L.
- Convolvulus phrygius Bornm.
- Convolvulus pilosellifolius Desr.
- Convolvulus pitardii Batt.
- Convolvulus × platigena Speg.
- Convolvulus prostratus Forssk.
- Convolvulus pseudocantabrica Schrenk ex Fisch. & C.A.Mey.
- Convolvulus × pseudocompactus C.Aykurt & Sümbül
- Convolvulus pseudoscammonia K.Koch
- Convolvulus pyrophilus O.Nazarova & Hislop
- Convolvulus pyrrhotrichus Boiss.
- Convolvulus randii Rendle
- Convolvulus rectangularis Rech.f.
- Convolvulus recurvatus R.W.Johnson
- Convolvulus remotus R.Br.
- Convolvulus reticulatus Choisy
- Convolvulus rhyniospermus Hochst. ex Choisy
- Convolvulus rottlerianus Choisy
- Convolvulus rufescens Choisy
- Convolvulus sabatius Viv.
- Convolvulus sagittatus Thunb.
- Convolvulus sarmentosus Balf.f.
- Convolvulus sarothrocladus Boiss. & Hausskn.
- Convolvulus scammonia L.
- Convolvulus schimperi Boiss.
- Convolvulus schirazianus Boiss.
- Convolvulus schulzei O’Donell
- Convolvulus scindicus Stocks
- Convolvulus scoparius L.f.
- Convolvulus scopulatus Thulin
- Convolvulus secundus Desr.
- Convolvulus selloi Meisn.
- Convolvulus semhaensis (R.R.Mill) J.A.Luna & Carine
- Convolvulus sericocephalus Juz.
- Convolvulus sericophyllus T.Anderson
- Convolvulus siculus L.
- Convolvulus simulans L.M.Perry
- Convolvulus sinuatodentatus Collett & Hemsl.
- Convolvulus socotranus Verdc.
- Convolvulus spicatus Peter ex Hallier f.
- Convolvulus spinifer Popov
- Convolvulus spinosus Burm.f.
- Convolvulus stachydifolius Choisy
- Convolvulus stapfii Rech.f.
- Convolvulus stenocladus Chiov.
- Convolvulus steppicola Hand.-Mazz.
- Convolvulus subsericeus Schrenk ex Fisch. & C.A.Mey.
- Convolvulus subspathulatus Vatke
- Convolvulus suendermannii Bornm.
- Convolvulus supinus Coss. & Kralik
- Convolvulus tedmoorei R.W.Johnson
- Convolvulus thomsonii Baker
- Convolvulus thunbergii Roem. & Schult.
- Convolvulus trabutianus Schweinf. & Muschl.
- Convolvulus tragacanthoides Turcz.
- Convolvulus tricolor L.
- Convolvulus truncatus Vell.
- Convolvulus tschimganicus Popov & Vved.
- Convolvulus tujuntauensis Kinzik.
- Convolvulus × turcicus Aykurt & Sümbül
- Convolvulus turrillianus Parsa
- Convolvulus ulicinus Boiss.
- Convolvulus urosepalus Pau
- Convolvulus valentinus Cav.
- Convolvulus verdcourtianus Sebsebe
- Convolvulus verecundus Allan
- Convolvulus vidalii Pau
- Convolvulus virgatus Boiss.
- Convolvulus vollesenii Sebsebe
- Convolvulus volubilis Brouss. ex Link
- Convolvulus waitaha (Sykes) Heenan, Molloy & de Lange
- Convolvulus wimmerensis R.W.Johnson
- Convolvulus xanthopotamicus J.R.I.Wood & Scotland
Ecological Significance
Convolvulus species play a vital role in their ecosystems. Their flowers provide nectar and pollen for a variety of pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and moths. Their leaves serve as food for the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, such as the convolvulus hawk moth.
Cultivation and Care
Many Convolvulus species are cultivated as ornamental plants. They are relatively easy to grow, requiring well-drained soil and plenty of sunlight. Some species, such as Convolvulus arvensis, can be invasive, so it’s important to choose non-invasive varieties for garden settings.
My Personal Experiences
I’ve had the pleasure of growing several Convolvulus species in my own garden. I’ve been particularly impressed by the vigor and beauty of Convolvulus tricolor. Its cheerful flowers have brightened up my garden, attracting pollinators and adding a touch of whimsy.
Conclusion
Convolvulus is a fascinating genus that offers a wealth of diversity and beauty. Whether you’re a gardener, a nature lover, or simply someone who appreciates the beauty of flowers, Convolvulus is sure to capture your attention.