Convolvulus Tricolordetails

The Three-Coloured Morning Glory.

Systematic name—Convolvulus tri-color;

Vlass V.—Penrandria; Order I.—Monogynia; Natural order—Convolvulacæ.

Generic Character.—“Calyx five parted, with or without two bracts: corol funnel-form plaited: stigma two cleft or double: cells of the capsule two or three cleft; each one or two seeded.”

Specific Character.—Leaves lance-ovate, glabrous: stem declined: flowers solitary.”* (* Eaton)

Geography.—This family of plants abounds in all parts of the tropics; a few only are natives of cold climates. The species here described is indigenous to the Southern States, the West Indies, and some parts of Europe.

Properties.— Several individuals of the Convolvulus tribe possess very active principles. Their roots contain an abundant store of acrid, milky juice, which is strongly purgative. Scammony a well known cathartic of the drug shops is obtained from the Convolvulus Scammonia. “It grows plentifully about Maraash, Antioch Eallib, and towards Tripoli, in Syria. It is from the milky juice of the root that we obtain the officinal scammony which is procured in the following manner by the peasants, who collect it in the beginning of June. Having cleared away the earth from about the root, they cut off the top in an oblique direction, about two inches below where the stalks spring from it. Under the most depending part of the slope they fix a shell or some other convenient receptacle, into which the milky juice gradually flows. It is left there about twelve hours, which time is sufficient for draining off the whole of the juice; this, however, is in small quantity, each root affording but a very few drachms.

This juice from the several roots is put together often into the leg of an old boot, for want of some more proper vessel, where, in a little time, it grows hard, and is the genuine scammony.” The Convolvulus Jalapa is an inhabitant of Mexico and Vera Cruz, and yields the real jalap. The Convolvulus Panduratus (Man-of-the-Earth) is a native of the United States, and is sometimes used instead of jalap; but it is less powerful, resembling rhubarb in its effects. There are also other species that possess cathartic properties, but they are much weaker, and require so large a dose as to render them useless. The Convolvulus Batatus is the sweet or Carolina potato, which few, we presume, consider “bad to take.”

Remarks.—Convolvulus is derived from convolvo, which signifies to entwine, wind about, or encompass, and is thus named in reference to the manner in which most of the species grow, winding around the stalks of other plants or, whatever they happen to reach first, like the bean vine. Sometimes it embraces some rotten or yielding object, which as soon as it begins to feel the weight, breake or bends, and the encircling vine having now no supporter, falls to the ground. Whenever we notice this little incident in nature, we are reminded of misplaced affection. Friendship is sometimes thus deceived.

A few of the species are declined or prostrate as the tri-color, batatus, &c. The specific name is given to accord with the three colors of the blossoms, which are blue, white, and yellow.

Several species and varieties of the Convolvulus are planted for ornament, and trained over a trellis or about the door-posts, and when proper care is bestowed, we would almost defy one to find anything more beautiful, unless it be our sweet darling, the bright-eyed cypress vine, which we prize above all other runners. But the Morning Glory is beautiful. (The cypress-vine is sometimes called the Morning Glory, by the way.) The common Morning Glory is originally blue or purple, but circumstances have produced many varieties, and to effect the most pleasing display, we should obtain the seeds of as great a variety as possible, and in two or three years we might have upon a single trellis flowers of almost every conceivable hue. It is called the Morning Glory because its blossoms,

Sentiment.—Worth sustained by affection.

(p. 45)