Convolvulus tricolor (syn. C. minor) is a species of flowering plant in the family Convolvulaceae, native to Mediterranean Europe. Common names include dwarf morning-glory, tricolour convolvulus, and belle de jour.
Description It is a short to medium annual plant with solitary long-stalked flowers. The flower is a tri-coloured funnel-shaped bloom about three centimeters wide, blue with white and a yellow centre.
Taxonomy
Synonyms Convolvulus maroccanus Batt. Convolvulus meonanthus Hoffmanns. & Link Convolvulus minor Convolvulus pseudotricolor Bertol.
Subspecies Convolvulus tricolor subsp. hortensis (Batt.) Maire Convolvulus tricolor subsp. meonanthus (Hoffmanns. & Link) Maire Convolvulus tricolor subsp. pentapetaloides (L.) O.Bolòs & Vigo Convolvulus tricolor subsp. tricolor L.Convolvulus tricolor Real Jardín Botánico: Proyecto Anthos
O. Bolòs et J. Vigoe distinguish Convolvulus tricolor ssp. pentapetaloides (L.) O.Bolòs & Vigo, found in the Balearic isles, from the type subspecies (Convolvulus tricolor ssp tricolor) by flowers that are smaller (7–10 mm), and both the calyx and the capsule having few or no hairs.
Habitat Common on cultivated land, dry open habitats, sandy places and roadsides.
Distribution This flowering plant is native to the Mediterranean Basin, particularly the south, but it is occasionally seen in other areas of similar climate. In Spain it can be found in the Balearic Islands,Herbario Virtual: Convolvulus tricolor L. subsp. pentapetaloides and Andalusia, especially in the Costa del Sol.García Guardia, G. (1988). Flores Silvestres de Andalucía. Alcorcón:Rueda. .
Cultivation Convolvulus tricolor is usually cultivated for ornamental purposes. The species and the cultivar 'Blue Ensign' have both received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
References
External links
CalFlora IPNI Listing