178 THALAMIFLOR*. 



Scrambling or climbing shrubs, with tumid separable joints ; 

 flowers small, generally green ; inflorescence racemose. They 

 are all natives of the woods. The leaves are in general acid, 

 and the fruit resembles the common grape. 



I. CiSSUS. 



Calyx subentire. Petals 4. Stamens 4, opposite 

 to the petals. Ovary 4-celled. Berry 1-4 seeded. 



Cissus is the Greek name for Ivy, and has been applied to 

 this genus from the circumstance of their climbing like that 

 plant. 



1 . Cissus sicyoides. Bastard Bryony. 



Leaves cordate ovate with the apex retuse glabrous 

 thickish setaceo-serrated with the serratures appressed, 

 branchlets terete. 



Bryonia alba geniculata, baccis e viridi-purpurascentibus, 

 Shane, I. t. 144. f. 1. — Cissus sicyoides, Lam. III. t. 84. f. 1. 



HAB. Common on Fences. 



FL. After rains, throughout the year. 



Stem frutescent, climbing : bi'anches herbaceous towards their 

 extremities, geniculated, sub-simple, smooth. Tendrils opposite 

 to a leaf, bifurcated. Leaves alternate, petiolated, 3 or 4 inches 

 in length, and about 2i broad, somewhat succulent, of a dark 

 green colour, very glabrous. Stipules membranaceous, rhom- 

 bo'ideo-falcate, produced below the insertion, deciduous. JJa* 

 cemes umbellated, of 5-rays, compound ; peduncle and its 

 branches angulose : pedicels short, 1-flowered. Bracteoles si- 

 tuated at the divisions of the peduncle, small, ovate, ciliated, 

 marescent. Calyx bluntly 4-dentate. Petals 4, greenish yel- 

 low, oblong, concave, spreading, deciduous. Stamens 4, erect, 

 inserted on the side of the disk, which is thus rendered sub-4- 

 lobed. Ovary sub-globose : style erect ; stigma cup-shaped. 

 Berry size and colour of a black currant, shining, 1-seeded : 

 seed spherical, conical at the apex. 



This plant, in the wild state, ascends to a great height on 

 trees and rocks, sending down bundles of long cord-like fibres, 

 which take root when they reach the ground. These fibres, 

 when ripe, are strong and durable, and I have observed them 

 in old buildings, employed to bind down the rafters, in place of 

 nails. Even when the stem is injured Or divided, the upper por- 

 tion still survives, and sends out a number of red cord-like fibres, 

 forming together a mass not unfrequently as large as a man's 

 head, some of which reach the surface of the soil, and take root. 

 It is cultivated about Kingston, and is trained to cover 



