Convolvulus arvensis

Convolvulus arvensis, or field bindweed, is a species of bindweed in the Convolvulaceae native to Europe and Asia. It is a rhizomatous and climbing or creeping herbaceous perennial plant with stems growing to 0.5–2 metres (1.6–6.6 ft) in length. It is usually found at ground level with small white and pink flowers. Other common names, mostly obsolete, include lesser bindweed, European bindweed, withy wind (in basket willow crops), perennial morning glory, small-flowered morning glory, creeping Jenny, and possession vine.

Description

A vigorous slender climber. It has a woody base and keeps growing from year to year. It has long branched underground stems or rhizomes. These can be 9 m deep. The stems are fine and twining. They have fine hairs when young. The leaves are alternate and broadly oval. They are 3-5 cm long by 1-4 cm wide. The leaves have stalks. They have lobes at the base. The flowers are small and white or pink. They occur singly. They are 2.5 cm across. The flowering stems are in the axils of leaves and are larger than the leaves. Plants sucker freely. The fruit capsules are cone shaped.

Edible Uses

The plant has been used as a flavouring in a liqueur called 'Noyeau'. No details are recorded as to which part of the plant is used.

Traditional Uses

The leaves are used to give flavour to a liquor called "noyeau". They have also been scalded then fried. They are cooked as a vegetable. They are cooked with yoghurt. The seeds are also boiled with other vegetables or fried and eaten. The flowers are sucked for their nectar. The young shoots with a few leaves are gathered in early spring and used in limited amounts with cracked wheat and ground beans to make a gruel. Caution: Eating too much will cause diarrhoea. The roots are boiled, kneaded into dough and then cooked to make a damper.

Medicinal Uses

The root, and a resin derived from the root, are cholagogue, diuretic, laxative, and strongly purgative. The dried root contains 4.9% resin. The juice of the root is used in the treatment of fevers. A tea made from the flowers is laxative and is used to treat fevers and wounds. A cold tea made from the leaves is laxative, can be applied as a wash for spider bites, or taken internally to reduce excessive menstrual flow.

Distribution

A temperate plant. It grows in cultivated areas, wasteland, roadsides, grassy slopes between 600–4500 m altitude in China. It grows in lowland fields in northern China. It does best in a light, well-drained soil. It needs a sunny position. It is resistant to frost and drought. In Argentina it grows between sea level and 3,200 m above sea level. Tasmania Herbarium.

Where It Grows

Africa, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Asia*, Australia, Bahrain, Balkans, Caucasus, Central America, Central Asia, Chile, China, Croatia, East Africa, Europe*, France, Georgia, Greece, Hawaii, Himalayas, Hungary, India, Italy, Korea, Luxembourg, Martinique, Mediterranean, Middle East, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, North Africa, North America, Pacific, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, SE Asia, Slovenia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Spain, Tajikistan, Tasmania, Turkey, Türkiye, Uruguay,

Cultivation

Prefers a lighter basic soil of low to medium fertility. Bindweed is a very deep-rooting plant with a vigorous root system that extends to a considerable distance and is very hard to eradicate from the soil. Even a small piece of the root will grow into a new plant if it is left in the ground. Once established this plant soon becomes a pernicious weed. It is a climbing plant that supports itself by twining around any support it can find and can soon swamp and strangle other plants. The flowers close at night and also during rainy weather. Although visited by numerous insects, the flowers seldom set fertile seed. On sunny days the flowers diffuse a scent of heliotrope. The plant harbours tobacco mosaic virus of the Solanaceae and so should not be grown near potatoes, tomatoes and other members of that family.

Propagation

Sow seed in situ as soon as it is ripe; it germinates in autumn. This species can become a serious garden weed, so encouraging it is inadvisable.

Other Uses

The stems can be used as twine for tying up plants; they are fairly flexible and strong but not long-lasting. A green dye is obtained from the whole plant.

Other Information

A very minor food. The seeds are eaten by children. It is a famine food.

Notes

It can become a serious weed in temperate places. There are about 100-250 Convolvulus species.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Babootu, Beri, Bhadrabala, Chandvel, Chinese bindweed, Correhuela, Dangirek, Dolasgan, Ero, Filiz, Gandhbhadali, Gondal, Gyoteny, Haranpadi, Haranpag, Hiran kahri, Hirapadi, Kheroon, Khewari, Khvartkla, Lavlavk, Lehi, Lehli, Leksiotu, Liblebe, Luwaya, Naaro, Nari, Parvaty, Parwatiay, Prasarna, Rajbala, Ratcho, Sarmaşık, Slacak, Speaker booti, Szulak, Tanesfalt, Tian xuan hua, Tosbagaotu, Vanvaihre, Veladi

References (39)

• Ajain, M., Ali, T., & Siddiqui, M.F., 2015, A Survey of Ethnobotanically Important Herbaceous Plants of Tehsil Jatoi,District Muzaffar Garh, Punjab, Pakistan. Int. J. Biol. Res., 3(2): 87-92, 2015.
• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 139
• Amin, M., et al, 2023, Edible wild plant species used by different linguistic groups of Kohistan Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 19:6 p 9
• Blamey, M and Grey-Wilson, C., 2005, Wild flowers of the Mediterranean. A & C Black London. p 185
• Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 278

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