ViTis. VITAOE^. 243 



in the centre, and surrounding the lower part of the ovary, with wluoh it is 

 incorporated, girt at the base by a short ring (expansion of the torus) upon 

 which the stamens are inserted. Ovary partly enclosed within the torus, 

 2- (or occasionally 3-) celled, with 2 ovules in each cell. Berry 1-2- (or oc- 

 casionally 3-) celled, 1-4-seeded. Peduncles usually changed, in whole or 

 in part, into tendrils. Am. 



§ 1. Petals 4 (rarely 5), usually distinct at the apex : stamens 4 {rarely 5) : 

 style usually as long as the ovary : stigma minute. Peduncles either 

 wholly poriferous or changed into tendrils. — Cissus, Linn. 



1. V. bipinnafa: leaves bipinnate, glabrous ; leaflets incisely serrate ; flow- 

 ers pentandrous ; berry 2-celled ; cells l-2-9eeded. — V. arborea, IVilld. sp. 

 1. /). 1183. Ampelopsis bipinnata, Mich.T.! f. \. p. 160; DC. prodr. 1. 

 p. 633. Cissus stans, Pers. syn. 1. p. 143; Pursh, Ji. 1. p. 170. C. bipin- 

 nata. Ell. sk.l. p. 304 ; Nntt. gen. 1. p. 144. 



Damp rich soils, near rivers, Virginia ! to Georgia ! west to Arkansas ! 

 June-July. — Stem upright or somewhat twining, glabrous. Lower leaves 

 sometimes decompound: leaflets an inch long, ovate or rhombic-ovate, some- 

 times cordate; the veins beneath pubescent and slightly connected at their 

 axils by a ciliate membrane. Panicle short, spreading, and apparently twice 

 bifid, without tendrils. Petals greenish-white, expanding. Torus somewhat 

 turbinate, adhering to the lower half of the ovary. Style conical. Berry 

 globose, depressed, as large as a small pea, blackish Avhen ripe, slightly hairy, 

 one of the cells usually 2-seeded, the other one-seeded. Seeds with 2 deep 

 depressions on one side. 



2. V. incisa (Nutt. mss.) : leaves trifoliolate, thick and somewhat fleshy ; 

 leaflets incisely toothed or lobed, cuneate at the base ; flowers tetrandrous 

 and tetrapetalous ; berry globose-obovate, 1-celled, 1-seeded. 



Prairies and copses, Texas and Arkansas, Dr. Leavenworth! Arkansas, 

 Nuttall ! July — A vine, climbing by numerous tendrils to the height of 4-5 

 feet : stem woody, and as wcU as the branches, warty. Petioles about an 

 inch long. Leaves pale green and very glabrous on both surfaces ; the low- 

 est ones 3-lobed or cordate at the base ; upper ones trifoliolate : leaflets 1-2 

 inches long, sometimes 2-3-lobed. Panicle somewhat corymbed, or com- 

 poundly umbellate. Calyx 4-toolhed. Petals pale green, connected. Torus 

 hemispherical; the border obscurely toothed. Style conspicuous, rather slen- 

 der. Berry the size of a small pea, black, shining. Seed with 2 deep pits 

 at the base, so that when it is cut transversely the albumen appears to be 2- 

 ceJled. — The leaves, leaflets, and flowers are so deciduous that it is almost 

 impossible to dry the plant so as to prevent its falling to pieces. 



3. V. indirisa (Willd.) : leaves simple, cordate or truncate at the base, 

 somewhat 3-lobed, pubescent on the nerves beneath ; flowers pentandrous 

 and pentapetalous ; berry 1-celled, 1-2-S'eeded. — Willd. baum. 538, e.rDC. 

 prodr. 1. p. 633. Ampelopsis cordata, 7V7/V^.r. .' ^. I. p. 159; DC. I. c. 

 Cissus Ampelopsis, Pers. syn. 1. p. 142; Pursh, Ji. 1. p. 170; Ell. sk. 1. 

 p. 305. 



Swamps, Southern States! west to Louisiana! and Arkansas! June. — 

 Stem long, climbing, glabrous. — Leaves 3-4 inches broad, coarsely serrate ; 

 the points of the serratures glandular. Panicles apparently twice or thrice 

 bifid, with spreading branches, without tendrils. Calyx very obscurely tooth- 

 ed. Ovary surrounded with a cup-shaped torus, somewhat globose ; ovules 

 2. Style tapering : stigma smaU. Berry a little larger than a pepper-corn, 

 seldom perfectmg more than a single seed. 



