VITIS INDIVISA. — - KNTIRE-LEAVED IVV-GRAPE. 23 



both in the earHer and in the later development of its yearly 

 round of plant-life, is so like l'. indivisa that it can be distin- 

 guished from it only with difficulty, while in the intermediate 

 stages the difference between the two is obvious enough. In 

 the early stages of its growth from the seed, the Asiatic species 

 has entire leaves, but as the leaves develop they divide into 

 lobes, which of course changes the character of the plant. 

 Late in summer, Jiowever, as the fruit begins to ripen, the dis- 

 tinction is again somewhat obliterated, as the character of the 

 berries and the arrangement of the clusters is very similar in 

 both species. In view of these facts, it will be interesting to 

 inquire wliether the two plants have had the same origin ; and 

 if this question should be answered in the affirmative, to ascer- 

 tain the law which compelled the /''. Iidcrophylla of Asia to 

 assume a character so different from that of its sister species in 

 the United States. We may add that in China the W hctcro- 

 phylla is said to vary in the lobing of its leaves, according to its 

 place of growth in the north or in the south of the empire. 



The gradual change in the color of the ripening fruit of our 

 species is well worth observing. Dr. Chapman says the berries 

 are small and black, while Prof. Wood informs his readers that 

 they are small and pale red. The truth of the matter is that the 

 berries are at first green, then become red, and finally, after 

 having passed through a beautifully mottled blue, turn quite 

 black when ripe. The red and the blue stages are both shown 

 on our plate. 



The Entire-Leaved Ivy-Grape does not seem to have a very 

 wide geographical range. Dr. Chapman, in his " Flora of the 

 Southern United States," says it is found on " banks of rivers, 

 Florida to North Carolina, and westward " ; but Dr. Curtis does 

 not include it in his " Catalogue of the Woody Plants of North 

 Carolina," and it is very probably not common east of the Alle- 

 o-hanies beyond the North Carolina line. Dr. Gray, whose 

 " Manual " includes only the Northern States, limits it within 

 this area to " river banks, West Virginia, Ohio, and southward," 



