178 HOW TO KNOW WILD FRUITS 



CANADA MOONSEED 

 Menispermum Canadense Moonseed Family 



Fruit. — The ovary is nearly straight, and has 

 the stigma at the apex. In the development of 

 the fruit an incurving takes place, bringing 

 the stigma mark near the base of the fruit. 

 This gives the stone the form of a crescent or 

 ring; hence the name Moonseed, because of 

 its crescent shape. The stone is flattened later- 

 ally, and is wrinkled and grooved. The drupes 

 are globose-oblong, one-seeded, black with a 

 bloom. They grow in loose clusters and re- 

 semble Frost Grapes in appearance. The 

 clusters, however, grow from the leaf axils 

 instead of opposite them. September. 



Leaves. — The leaves are broad-ovate with 

 usually three to seven lobes. They are heart- 

 shaped at the base, and have a pale under sur- 

 face. The leaf stem is slender and usually 

 attached within the edge of the leaf. 



Floioers. — The small, greenish white, dioecious 

 flowers grow in loose clusters from the leaf axils. 

 June, July. 



This woody climber, sometimes twelve feet 



