Seasonal Wild Flowers

Black-bindweed

Fallopia convolvulus

Polygonaceae

June to October

It grows throughout the country.

See the BSBI distribution map for Black-bindweed

Black-bindweed grows on cultivated ground and waste

ground.

It is an archaeophyte and has been an agricultural

weed since the stone age.

It is a prostrate or scrampling, climbing, annual herb,

growing up to 120cm.

Flowers are small, green, brown and white, in loose spikes.

The flowers are small and made up of 5 keeled, perianth

segments.

There are 8 stamens and a 3-part stigma.

Fruits are triangular nuts.

Leaves are arrow-shaped and up to 6cm.

Stems twist clockwise (cf the true bindweeds -

Convolvulaceae).

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Black-bindweed, field edge,

Wessex Ridgeway, Dorset

Flower spikes on Barley stem

Close-up of flowers

5 perianth segmants, 8 stamens and 3-part stigma

Young fruits

Leaves and flower spikes

Close-up of upper leaves