214 



BOTANY OF THE LIVING PLANT 



of large size do not differ essentially in their methods from the smaller 

 climbers of Temperate zon< 



The methods of climbing may be ranged under three heads : (i) 

 Straggling, (2) prehensile, and (3) adhesive climbing. The first of these 

 is the least specialised. It is successfully practised at home by 

 Cleavers {Galium aparine), and in the south by the Wild Madder 

 (Rubia peregrina), herbaceous plants which thread their way through 

 undergrowth or hedge, supporting themselves partly by stiff whorls 

 of leaves expanding at right angles to the axis, partly by hooked 

 pnekles borne chiefly on the projecting angles of stem and leaves. 



In the Tropics the straggli)ig method gives very successful support to larger 

 woody plants. (Fig. 143, i.-vii.) In many cases widely spreading branches 



V// 



Fig. 143. 



Various woody stragglers collected in Cevlon, showing various parts reflexed for 



support. (1.) axillary shoots of Sageretia ; (ii.) stipules of Zixypkus ; (hi.) prickles 



ma ; (iv.) prickles of Calamus ; (v. vi.) axillary branched shoots of Carissa ■ 



(vii.) retlexed pinnae of Desmonchus. ' 



in the axils of decussate leaves are an important aid, as in a species of 

 Lantana, which was introduced into Ceylon as a decorative plant. It has 

 taken possession of large tracts of abandoned coffee-land, favoured partly by 



