Chap. IV. 



VITACILE. 



137 



Viiis vinifera. The tendril is thick and of great 

 length ; one from a vine growing out of doors and not 

 vigorously, was 16 inches long. It consists of a 

 peduncle (A), bearing two branches which diverge 

 equally from it. One of the branches (B) has a 

 scale at its base ; it is always, as far as I have seen, 

 longer than the other and often bifurcates. The 

 branches when rubbed become curved, and subse- 



Fig. 9. 

 Tendril of the Vine. 



A. Peduncle of tendril. C. Shorter branch. 



B. Longer branch, with a scale at its base. D. Petiole of the opposite leaf. 



quently straighten themselves. After a tendril has 

 clasped any object with its extremity, it contracts 

 spirally ; but this does not occur (Palm, p. 56) when 

 no object has been seized. The tendrils move spon- 



7 



