Hedge bindweed

Description

Calystegia sepium (hedge bindweed, Rutland beauty, bugle vine, heavenly trumpets, bellbind, granny-pop-out-of-bed and many others) is a species of flowering plant in the family Convolvulaceae. It has a subcosmopolitan distribution throughout temperate regions of the North and South hemispheres. It is an herbaceous perennial that twines around other plants, in a counter-clockwise direction, to a height of up to 2–4 m (6 ft 7 in – 13 ft 1 in) m, rarely 5 m. The pale matte green leaves are arranged spirally, simple, pointed at the tip and are arrowhead shaped, 5–10 cm long and 3–7 cm broad. The flowers are white, or pale pink with five darker stripes, produced from late spring to the end of summer. In the UK, between July and September. In the bud, they are covered by large green but tinged with crimson bracts which remain but scarcely overlap and do not cover the sepals of the open flower. The open flowers are trumpet-shaped, 3–7 cm diameter, white, or pale pink with white stripes. After flowering, the fruit develops as an almost spherical capsule, which is hidden by the bracts. It is 1 cm in diameter, containing two to four large, dark brown, or black seeds that are shaped like quartered oranges. The plant thrives in hedges, fields, borders, roadsides and open woods. There are several species of Calystegia which and occur in similar habitats and can be difficult to distinguish, especially when not in flower. It is common practice in Britain to treat C. sepium, C. silvatica and C. pulchra as an aggregate, usually recorded as C. sepium agg. whenever identification is uncertain. The use of this term sometimes creates confusion about which taxon is being discussed. The best way to separate hedge bindweed (sepium) from the other taxa is by the bracteoles, which subtend the flower and wholly or partially encompass the sepals. Hedge bindweed has two rather long, narrow bracteoles which do not touch each other, whereas both large bindweed (silvatica) and hairy bindweed (pulchra) have shorter, wider bracteoles which overlap where they meet. Other vernacular names include greater bindweed, bearbind, hedge convolvulus, hooded bindweed, old man's nightcap, wild morning glory, bride's gown, wedlock (referring to the white gown-like flowers and the binding nature of the vine), white witches hat, belle of the ball, devil's guts and hedgebell. A common childhood pastime in the UK is to 'pop' the flowers from the sepals while chanting "Granny, granny pop out of bed".