446 FLOWERS OF FIELD, HILL, AND SWAMP 



or purplish. Leaves, alternate, 3-pinnate, the delicate leaflets 

 incised. Time, summer and fall. 



Sepals, 2, scale-like. Petals, 4, irregular, in 2 pairs, double- 

 spurred. The inside pair is narrower than the other, all united, 

 becoming sponge-like, enclosing the pod. Stamens, 6, in pairs 

 above, united into a tube below. Pod, i-celled. 



A lovely plant, with fine, delicate leaves and drooping, panicled 

 blossoms, climbing by means of its tender leaf-stalks. 



7. American Ivy. Virginia Creeper, Woodbine 



Ampelopsis quinqueiblia.— Family, Vine. Color, greenish. 

 Leaves, compound, with generally 5 leaflets attached to the 

 apex of the stalk. Time, July. 



Flowers, in clusters, small. 



A well-known vine, with woody stems, climbing by means of 

 rootlets and suckers on the ends of tendrils. These flat disks 

 adhere to smooth or rough surfaces, and pull the plant over 

 trunks of trees, stone-walls, etc. 



In October small, dark berries appear. Sometimes it is mis- 

 taken for poison-ivy, which has 3 instead of 5 leaflets. 



This is not only harmless, but is often transplanted into our 

 gardens, where it mingles with other vines, covering gate-posts^ 

 and old stumps. It is adapted to every variety of soil. I have 

 been surprised to find it on the very tops of the sand dunes, where 

 it must catch the salt spray, and nothing else but coarse grass can 

 grow. And in the autumn it paints whatever it covers with glo- 

 rious masses of scarlet. 



8. Northern Fox-grape 



ynis Labrusca. — Family, Vine. Color, greenish. Leaves, 

 simple, large, rounded, or deeply lobed, distantly toothed, cov- 

 ered underneath witii rusty wool. Time, June. Fruit ripe in 

 September or October. 



Flowers, some perfect, others lacking pistils. Calyx, short. 



