Vine Plant Growing in the Field - Help ID

March 8, 2013 1:44 AM

There is a small, low growing vine plant growing outside freely in the wild that appears to be some kind of bean. But is it?

I tasted a few leaves, and they do taste like a bean. And I'm still breathing a few hours after, so I guess it's not toxic. Here are some photos I took - what are they? Thank you for your assistance.

posted by watercarrier to home & garden (7 answers total)

The pictures are a bit blurry, but I'd hazard a guess at some variety of Convulvulus (aka Bindweed). If it is, I wouldn't eat any more - it's a bit toxic.
posted by pipeski at 2:05 AM on March 8

No - it's not bindweed by the looks of Google images. The leaves don't match up. I think these were planted by some birds or perhaps some other wildlife. Last year the patch was bare, aside from some tall grasses, henbane and silymarin. So - it's a mystery till someone can help me ID this.
posted by watercarrier at 2:58 AM on March 8

Where are you located? It DOES look like a type of bindweed that I have in my lawn. There are many, many varieties of bindweed. Kill it, and then kill it some more, and really, don't eat things that you aren't sure of.
posted by checkitnice at 4:51 AM on March 8

There are quite a few Convolvulus species. What about this one - Convolvulus arvensis?

(For reference, it helps a lot when asking about wild plants if you mention where in the world you live!)
posted by Azara at 4:54 AM on March 8 [2 favorites]

I don't know if you're still in Israel or not, but here's a list of Conovolvulus that are found there.

And stop eating random plants without identifying them first!
posted by elsietheeel at 6:55 AM on March 8 [1 favorite]

It looks like bindweed to me, but giving your location would be rather useful here.
posted by Anwan at 12:35 PM on March 8

Thank you very very much everyone who replied -- by the flowers that are now emerging it is convolulus arvenisis. Much obliged!
posted by watercarrier at 1:55 PM on March 26