186 AMONG THE WILD FLOWERS. 
to have its life in itself, flourishing on the 
driest roofs; its flowers are very handsome. 
The Order includes also the curious peltate- 
leafed Cotyledon umbilicus, Navelwort, with 
its racemes of pendulous greenish-yellow 
flowers. 
October sees the flowers of the Ivy, ledera ; 
this plant is not a parasite, since its roots 
derive sustenance from the earth; its stem- 
fibres are merely for the purpose of support in 
climbing; flowering in autumn, its berries 
ripen in spring. It gives name to its own 
Nat. Ord., HEDERACEA. 
In the Nat. Ord. CapriroLiacea&, besides 
Adoxa, already mentioned, are Sambucus, 
Elder; Vzdurnum, Guelder-rose; and Lozzcera, 
Honeysuckle. S. £dulus, Dwarf Elder, is 
called also Danewort; it is herbaceous; SS. 
nigra is the common Elder tree; Vzburnum 
Lantana, Mealy Guelder-rose, is frequent in 
hedges, especially in Midland Counties; its 
leaves are covered with a thick stellate down; 
V. opulus, common Guelder-rose, has brilliant 
red cymes of fruit; its flat white cymes of 
flowers are also handsome; in cultivation the 
flowers are changed into the neuter condition 
