Dr. H. F. C. Cleghorn 07i the Hedge Plants of India. 237 



di'opped off, the thorns are left bare and exposed, which renders 

 traveUing extremely difficult in some parts, as the spines are so 

 strong as to pierce a shoe or sandal of dressed leather ; and if the 

 weary traveller seek to rest himself, he must beware as much of 

 thorns, as of red ants, taranttilse, and other biting insects which 

 infest the soil. Innumerable climbers festoon the Euphorbia- 

 ceous hedges, enveloping them with their umbrageous leaves, 

 and showing off their elegant and many-tinted blossoms to the 

 best advantage on these nearly leafless shrubs. 



The rich inflorescence bursts forth towards the close of the 

 rains. All do not unfold their flowers at once — a continuous 

 succession of blossom is presented throughout the year in the 

 subalpine districts, which are under the influence of the S.W. 

 monsoon. These strong climbing plants, consisting chiefly of 

 Convolvulacece, Cucurbitacece, Apocynacece and Asclepiacea, de- 

 light the eye and often diffuse an agreeable fragrance, but by 

 their rank luxmiance prove very destructive to enclosures. 

 Some of those most frequently met with are as follows : — 



CuCURBITACEjE. 



Mukia scahrella, Bryonia laciniosa, epigcea and mysorensis, 

 Coccinia indica, Trichosanthes Cucumerina and palmata. 



CoNVOLVULACEiE. 



Ipomaa sepiaria and vitifolia, Pharbitis nil, Quamoclit pinnatum 

 and phmniceum, Argyreia aggregata and bradeata, Calonyction 

 speciosum (Ch.). 



AsCLEPIACEjE. 



Gxystelma esculentum, Dcemia extensa, Holostemma Rheedii, 

 Pergularia odoratissima. 



ApOCYNACEiE. 



Ichnocarpus frutescens (R. Br.), Carissa carandas (L.), C. dif- 

 fusa (E.OX.), Vallaris pergularia (Burm.). 



The herbaceous plants generally met with, enjoying the shelter 

 of the hedges by the roadsides, are suffruticose Malvacece, Mira- 

 bilis Jalapa, Plumbago zeylanica, Deei'ingia celosoides, Asystasia 

 coromandeliana (N. E.), Peristroplie bicahjculata, Boerhaavia (two 

 species), Basella alba, Cardiospermum Heliocacabum with balloon- 

 like capsules, Abrus p7'ecatorius, Mucuna prurita, Canavallia vi- 

 rosa, Clitorea ternatea, a blue and white creeper of great beauty. 

 The cyan hue of the Clitorea, with the yellow petals of Abu- 

 tilon, and the pure white of Coccinia indica — found in every 

 hedge — offers a truly splendid appearance. 



After these preliminary notes, as to the abundant provision in 

 nature for the extensive diffusion of hedges, let us see to what 



