58 



THE FLOKAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE, j 



common forms. Nevertheless, when 

 growing wild, whether throwing up 

 weak shoots and minute dark green 

 leaves on a ruin, or running rapidly 

 with fleshy stern and light green 

 acuminate leaves up the bole of a 

 tree, is never difficult of identification, 

 the veining and general character of 

 the leafage having in the varieties 

 many points of similarity. The most 

 frequent form of the leaf is triangular, 

 with three distinct pointed lobes form- 

 ing the triangle, and two indistinct 

 rounded lohes at the junction with 

 the leaf-stalk. It is very beautiful 

 when it acquires a fruiting state, the 

 narrow ovate leaves being of a bright 

 glossy green, and with the umbels of 

 flowers or fruit borne on freely 

 branching arl -orescent stems. 



14. Baccifera lutea. — This is the 

 climbing form of the yellow-berried 

 ivy, and does not greatly differ in 

 general characteristics from H. helix. 

 When it acquires a fruiting state, it 

 is remarkably handsome ; but the 

 berries are of a greenish-yellow, and 

 hence less beautiful than those of the 

 variety which follows. 



15. Chrysocarpa. — It is of great 

 importance for the cultivator to be 

 able to identify this variety, on ac- 

 count of the brilliant golden colour 

 of its berries, and fortunately it is as 

 distinct in its leafage as in the splen- 

 dour of its fruit. The leaves are dis- 

 tinctly quinquangular, the segments 

 lengthened out into lanceolate lobes ; 

 and when the leaves obtain their 

 largest size, there are added two small 

 auricled lobes at the base. Colour of 

 leaf a deep green. with distinct whitish 

 midrib and veins. This variety is 

 a native of India, and at present 

 scarce. 



16. Digilata. — The leaf regularly 

 divided into five equal finger-like 

 lobes; the colour bright deep green, 

 with prominent white veins. 



17. Crenata. — A quinquangular 

 form, not greatly different from the 

 type. 



18. Lobata. — Leaves sharply and 

 distinctly lobed ; fast-growing and 

 distinct. 



19. Palmata — Scarcely to be dis- 

 tinguished from the type in the form 

 of the leaves, but it may be known by 



a peculiar bluish tinge of the under 

 side of the leaf. It grows rapidly. 



20. Gracilis. — Habit very slen- 

 der ; leaf-stalks hair-like; leaves dark 

 green, regularly but not deeply lobed. 



21. Say ittcef alia. — Leaves dis- 

 tinctly arrow-shaped, dark green, 

 with whitish veins ; distinct and 

 pretty. 



22. Poetica.— The "Poet's Ivy" 

 is a very pretty form of H. helix ; 

 the leaves are of the full size of the 

 type, somewhat angular ; the termi- 

 nal lobe a regular triangle ; the side 

 lobes very slightly marked. The 

 colour a fresh bright deep green, 

 glossy, and with whitish veins. 



23. Himalaica. — Not very diffe- 

 rent from the type ; habit slender, 

 long-jointed ; leaves approximating 

 to the form of an isosceles triangle, 

 the terminal lobe being long and 

 wedge-shaped. This has no special 

 excellence, and is, perhaps, less effec- 

 tive as an ornamental shrub than the 

 English form of H. helix. 



24. Taurica. — A very beautiful 

 green-leaved variety from Taurica. 

 The leaves vary from a distinct cunei- 

 form outline to regular ovate or 

 broadly triangttlar, with three distinct 

 lobes. They are smill, deep green, 

 glossy ; and the plant is of a robust 

 growth, short-jointed, and soon makes 

 a compact and handsome specimen. 

 This should be selected by cultivators 

 as one of the best of the green-leaved 

 ivies for exhibition and home decora- 

 tion. 



25. Taurica Leeana. — A pretty 

 variety of the last, though not very 

 distinct from it. 



26. Pennsylvanica. — Leaf broadly 

 quinquangular ; dull green, w ith veins 

 similar to the species. Like digitata 

 and crenata. Makes a pretty bush 

 or pyramid. 



27. Minor Donerailcnse. — Leaves 

 distinctly five-angled, and resembling 

 those of 15 ; colour bronzy -green ; 

 curious. 



28. Vulgaris. — A stunted and im- 

 poverished form of the type, as it 

 frequently appears when growing on 

 ruins. It does not deserve to be con- 

 sidered a variety, and ought never to 

 have been named as distinct from 

 H. helix. 



