BITTERSWEET AND IVY. 



BY DR. WILLIAM WHITMAN BAILEY. 

 'pWO veiw different plants are known in New England as 

 -L bittersweet. One of these is the pretty, purple-flow- 

 ered nightshade, eommonh^ seen in summer trailing over 

 walls and having at the same time both green and trans- 

 lucent scarlet berries. The other is a trailing or twining 

 shrub often found growing to a great height on trees or 

 liane-like, swinging pendant in mid-air. The first plant is 

 doubtfully, if not actually poisonous, not to the touch but 

 when its berries are eaten. The other, known also as 

 Roxbury wax-work, is harmless. It grows along streams 

 over the shrubber3^or on walls and fences. It is an elegant 

 climber and is often trained upon porti/ocs or trellises. 

 The pods are red, and open in late autumn, disijlaying the 

 scarlet aril of the seeds. Long trails of the plant are 

 worth preserving for winter decoration, owing to the 

 strong contrast between the orange pods and bright scar- 

 let seeds. 



While text books continue to present the lemon, orange 

 and other citrus plants, as possessing vmifoliate leaves, i. 

 e., compound leaves wnth but a single leaflet, the Japanese 

 or Boston ivy {Awpelopsis tricuspidata) affords a much 

 better instance. I do not, however, recall its mention even 

 in books where the plant is described. Surely it could not 

 have escaped observation. I have myself before called 

 attention to it. The large palmately-lobed leaf first falls, 

 the ver\'long petioles surviving a week or two longer, and 

 presenting a very curious appearance. Finally they, too, 

 succumb. There is a distinct articulation between petiole 

 and blade, though in summer one w^ould never suspect it. 

 The absciss la^'cr is slow to develop. 



The rapidity of growth of the vine again is striking. 

 A year or so often suffices to cover a wall wdth elegant 

 mosaic. It clings l3\' means of adhesive disks. It is need- 

 less to say that the autumnal color of the foliage is superb 

 crimson and highly polished. Then after the leaves have 

 all disappeared, the delicate tracery of stems and twigs 



