

f 



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THE SPECIES AND VARIETIES OF IVY. 



scandent and arborescent growths, notices the capability of the plant to sustain 

 itself on masonry when isolated, remarking that "where any small parts of the 

 stalks are left, they will soon spread and multiply," and adds that u there are two 

 varieties, one with silver-striped leaves, and the other with yellowish leaves." 1 He 

 also regards the Virginian creeper as an alliance of the ivy, and describes it as 

 " Hedera quinqiiefolia" 



It is but recently that serious attention has been given to the subject in a 

 thoroughly scientific manner, and we are especially indebted to the late much 

 lamented Dr. Berthold Seeman for a sensible attempt to dispose of its several diffi- 

 culties. It might be an easy matter to present a short summary of the results 

 of the investigations of this eminent botanist and traveller, but there can be no 

 fairer way than to reproduce here, in its entirety, an article of his published in the 

 " Journal of Botany " in 1863, entitled 



"THE IVIES OF EUROPE, AFRICA, AND ASIA. 



" Whether there is only one species, or several, mixed up with the plants 

 which now go in gardens and herbaria under the name of Hedera Helix, and make 

 up the genus Hedera, as now circumscribed, and whether one or two species are 

 indigenous to the British Islands, are still open questions. No botanist has 

 as yet been successful in finding good characters for what have been considered 

 as species ; and though all other Hederaceaa have a limited geographical range, 

 Helix is supposed to be an exception to this rule, and to be spread over three 

 continents, Europe, Asia, and Africa, from the Canary Islands to Japan, and that 

 this circumstance alone sufficiently accounts for the numerous existing varieties. 

 After carefully investigating the subject, and examining every specimen I could 

 lay my hands on, aided by contributions from botanical friends, I have 

 arrived at a different conclusion. I can clearly distinguish three distinct species, 

 which, though having each many varieties, do not run into each other, and have 

 each a distinct geographical range. If these different species had to be named 

 anew, I would propose to call them respectively the European, the African, and 

 the Asiatic. The European ivy is Hedera Helix, Linn. It is not found out of 

 Europe, and may at once be known by its uppermost leaves being ovate, or ellip- 

 tical, its umbels arranged in simple racemes, and its pedicels and calyx being 

 covered with white stellate hairs, having from six to eight, but never more, rays. 

 From time immemorial a variety with white and yellow variegated leaves has been 



\ " Gardener's Dictionary," sixth edition, 1771, article HEDERA. 





