bind-weed: A genus of the pentandria order, belonging to the monogynia clas of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 29th order, Campanaceae. The corolla is campanulated and plaited; there are two stigmae; the capsule is bilocular, and the cells are deperisious. Of this genus there is a great number of species, the most remarkable of which are the following.

1. The sepium, or large white bind-weed, is often a troublesome weed in gardens, when its roots are interwoven with those of trees and shrubs, or under hedges, as every small piece of root is apt to grow. It flourishes under moist hedges, and hath white or purplish blossoms. 2. The scammonia, or Syrian bind-weed, grows naturally in Syria. The roots are thick, run deep into the ground, and are covered with a dark bark. The branches extend on every side to the distance of 10 or 12 feet; they are slender, and trail on the ground, and are garnished with narrow, arrow-pointed leaves. The flowers are of a pale yellow, and come out from the side of the branches, two sitting upon each long footstalk: these are succeeded by roundish seed-vessels, having three cells filled with seeds. 3. The purpureus, or convolvulus major, is an annual plant growing naturally in Asia and America, but has been long cultivated in the British gardens. If these plants are properly supported, they will rise 10 or 12 feet high in warm summers. There are three or four lasting varieties: the most common hath a purple flower; the others have a white, a red, or a whitish-blue flower, which last hath white seeds. They flower in June, July, and August, and their seeds ripen in autumn. 4. The nil, or blue bind-weed, rises with a twining stalk 8 or 10 feet high, garnished with heart-shaped leaves, divided into three lobes, which end in sharp points. These are woolly, and stand upon long footstalks. The flowers also come out on long footstalks, each sustaining two flowers of a very deep blue colour, whence their name of anil or indigo. This is one of the most beautiful plants of the genus: it flowers all the latter part of the summer; and in good seasons the seeds ripen very well in the open air. 5. The battatas, or Spanish potatoes, hath succulent roots, which are annually imported from Spain and Portugal, where they are greatly cultivated for the table; but they are too tender to thrive in the open air in Britain. Their roots are like the common potato, but require much more room: for they send out many trailing stalks, which extend six or eight feet every way; and at their joints send out roots which in warm countries grow to be very large bulbs; so that from a single root planted 40 or 50 large potatoes are produced. 6. The canariensis, with soft woolly leaves, is a native of the Canaries; but hath long been preserved in the British gardens. It hath a strong fibrous root, from whence arise several twining woody stalks, which, where they have support, will grow more than 20 feet high, garnished with oblong heart-shaped leaves, which are soft and hairy. The flowers are produced from the wings of the leaves, several standing upon one footstalk. They are for the most part of a pale blue; but there is a variety with white flowers. They appear in June, July, and August, and sometimes ripen seeds here. 7. The tricolor, or convolvulus minor, is a native of Portugal; but hath long been cultivated in the gardens of this country. It is an annual plant, which hath several thick herbaceous stalks growing about two feet long, which do not twine like the other sorts, but decline toward the ground, upon which many of the lower branches lie prostrate; they are garnished with spear-shaped leaves, which fit close to the branches: the footstalks of the flowers come out just above the leaves of the same joint, and at the same side of the stalks. They are about two inches long, each sustaining one large open bell-shaped flower, which in some is of a fine blue colour with a white bottom; in others they are pure white, and some are beautifully variegated with both colours. The white flowers are succeeded by white seeds, and the blue by dark-coloured seeds; which difference is pretty constant. 8. The soldanella, or sea-bindweed, styled also brassica marina, grows naturally on the sea-beaches in many parts of England, but cannot be long preserved in gardens. It hath many small white stringy roots, which spread wide and send out several weak trailing branches. These twine about the neighbouring plants like those of the common bindweed, garnished with kidney-shaped leaves like those of the lesser celandine. The flowers are produced on the side of the branches at each joint. They are of a reddish purple colour, and appear in July. They are succeeded by round capsules, having three cells, each containing one black seed. 9. The turpethum is a native of the island of Ceylon. This hath fleshy thick roots, which spread far in the ground, and abound with a milky juice that flows out when the roots are broken or wounded, and soon hardens into a resinous substance when exposed to the sun and air. From the root shoot forth many twining branches, which twist about each other, or the neighbouring plants, like the common bindweed. They are garnished with heart-shaped leaves that are soft to the touch, like those of the marshmallow. The flowers are produced at the joints on the side of the stalks, several standing together on the same footstalk: they are white, and shaped like those of the common great bindweed, and are succeeded by round capsules, having three cells containing two seeds each. 10. The jalappa, or jalap, used in medicine, is a native of Aleppo in Spanish America, situated between La Vera Cruz and Mexico. It hath a large root of an oval form, which is full of a milky juice; from which come out many herbaceous twining stalks rising eight or ten feet high, garnished with variable leaves; some of them being heart-shaped, others angular, and some oblong and pointed. They are smooth, and stand upon long footstalks: the flowers are shaped like those of the common greater bindweed, each footstalk supporting only one flower.

Culture. The first and second sorts are propagated by seeds, which must be sown on a border of light earth. The second sort must have some tall stakes placed near them for their branches to twine about, otherwise they will spread on the ground and make a bad appearance. The third sort is annual, and must be propagated by seeds sown on a hot-bed in the spring, and towards the end of May they should be planted out in warm borders, and treated in the same manner with the former. The fourth species is sometimes propagated in this country. The roots must be planted on a hot-bed in the spring; and if the plants are are covered in bad weather with glasses, they will produce flowers and some small bulbs from the joints of the stalks; but if they are exposed to the open air, they seldom grow to any size. The fifth is propagated by laying down the young shoots in the spring, which generally put out roots in three or four months: they may then be taken from the old plants, and each placed in a separate pot, which is to be set in the shade till they have taken new root; after which they may be placed with other hardy greenhouse plants till autumn, when they should be removed into the greenhouse, and afterwards treated in the same manner as myrtles and other greenhouse plants. The turbit and jalap are too tender to live in this country, unless they are constantly kept in a stove. The other species require no particular directions for their cultivation.

**Ufers.** The root of the first sort is a very acrid purgative to the human race, but is eaten by hogs in large quantities without any detriment. The insipid juice of the second species is used in medicine as a strong purgative; as are also the roots of the jalappa and turpethum. The seldanella has likewise been used with the same intention. Half an ounce of the juice, or a drachm of the powder, is an acrid purge. The leaves applied externally are said to diminish dropsical swellings of the feet. See SCAMMONY, JALAP, and TURPETH.

**CONVOY,** in naval affairs, one or more ships of war, employed to accompany and protect merchant ships, and prevent their being insulted by pirates, or the enemies of the state in time of war.

**CONVOY,** in military matters, a body of men that guard any supply of men, money, ammunition, or provisions, conveyed by land into a town, army, or the like, in time of war.

**CONUS,** a cone, in botany: a species of fruit or fecal seed-vessel, so termed by Tournefort and other botanists. Linnæus has substituted STROBILUS in its place.

**CONVULSION,** a supernatural and violent contraction of the membranous and muscular parts of the body. See (the Index subjoined to) MEDICINE.

**CONWAY,** a market-town of Caernarvonshire in North Wales, situated near the mouth of a river of the same name, 15 miles west of St Asaph. W. Long. 3° 50' N. Lat. 53° 20'.

**CONYZA,** FLEABANE; a genus of the polygamia superflua order, belonging to the syngenesia class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 49th order, Composita. The pappus is simple, the calyx imbricated and roundish, the corollae of the radius trifid. There are 19 species, none of which merit any particular description.

**CONZA,** a town of the kingdom of Naples in Italy, situated on the farther principate, on the river Offanto, 50 miles south-east of the city of Naples. E. Long. 16° 0' N. Lat. 41° 0'. It is the see of an archbishop.