676 



CLIMBING PLANTS. 



trailing, it has come within the range of a wood, it pushes its stiff", folded, spire-like 

 leaves between the lower branches of the trees, and as these leaves unfold and bend 

 outwards, they form strong supports or barbs by which the cord-like stem is 

 anchored above in the branches of the tree (cf. fig. 94, p. 363). Under favourable 

 conditions the stem can grow up to the tops of the trees, its new leaves always 

 anchoring thus in the branches above. Frequently the free end of a rotang shoot 



Fig. 157.— Shoot-apices of three species of Rotang. 

 ^ V(Vvwnorops hygrophihis. - Calamus exteJisus ; with inflorescence. ^ Desmoncus polyacanthus ; much reduced. 



gi'ows from tree to tree — ^now ascending, now descending. It is shoots of this kmd 

 which attain to lengths unequalled by any other plant. There are credible state- 

 ments according to which such rotang stems, with an almost uniform thickness of 

 only 2-4 cm., have reached a length of 200 metres. 



We must not omit to mention that most, if not all, plants which weave into the 

 thicket of other plants are equipped with barbed spines, prickles, and bristles, which 

 assist them in maintaining themselves at the heights once reached. The goat's 

 thorn is provided with horizontally -projecting spines; in the roses and brambles 



