Many of the species are problematic weeds, which can swamp other more valuable plants by climbing over them, but some are also deliberately grown for their attractive flowers.
This species occurs in many temperate regions. They are mostly slender, creeping winding vines. A few are small perennials. They have simple, alternate leaves and wide funnel-shaped flowers.
The Latin specific name, arvensis, is derived from arvum (a cornfield), because this species of Convolvulus, though commonly enough met with in waste places, is one of the characteristic flowers of the cornfield.
The failure to set seed is, however, quite compensated for by the vitality of its widely spreading, much branched roots, on which it chiefly depends for its propagation.
The Convolvulus is very sensitive to weather conditions, always closing in rain, to open again with the return of sunshine.
Convolvulus is an ubiquitous weed, but arvensis is understood to contain alkaloids that are toxic.
Such is the case of convolvulus arvensis; new research is showing it has great promise as a useful, safe and nontoxic chemotherapeutic agent.
Inhibition of angiogenesis was 18 to 73 percent; inhibition of tumor growth was 35 to 80 percent in the cancer models represented; and lymphocytes were increased 12 to 46 percent in respective models.
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