56 FLOWERS OF THE WOODS AND COPSES 
which turn away from the light, of a rootlike character or holdfasts, 
which assist it to climb. The young branches are green or purple. 
At the base the stem is thick, and may branch above in equal forks, 
and then twine around the trunk or climb up the wall, with numerous 
further branchings or ramifications. The leaves are undivided or 
3-lobed, when the plant is merely Ground Ivy, or 5-lobed. This di- 
morphism may be due to the demand for light and air, the oval leaves 
growing round the stem in woods being an advantage, whilst the 
divided leaves growing on the surface are arranged to fit into each 
Photo, B. Hanley 
Ivy (Hedera Helix, L.) 
other and to cover as much space as possible. The flowering branches 
also grow erect. In the climbing plant the leaf is oval, heart-shaped, 
thick, entire in the flowering branches, with white or red veins. 
The flowers are in simple, erect, panicled, raceme-like umbels, more 
or less. rounded, with stellate hairs. The bracts are small and hollow. 
The flower-stalks are fairly long. The flowers are yellowish-green. 
The calyx-teeth are triangular, the calyx superior with 5 teeth. The 
5 petals do not unite above, and are triangular to egg-shaped. There 
are 5 stamens. The disc is swollen. The ovary is 5-celled. The 
styles are short, united at the base, with terminal stigmas. 
The berry is more or less round, black or yellow, 5-celled, 5-seeded, 
crowned with the calyx. The seeds are egg-shaped, 5 in a berry. 
The plant may be as much as qo ft. high. The flowers are the 
latest to bloom, i.e. in October and November. Ivy is an evergreen, 
woody creeper, or climber, and may be increased by layers. 
