90 



THE IVY. 



x^ 



GROUP 3. GREEN-LEAVED FRUITING OR ARBORESCENT FORMS OF HEDERA HELIX. $ 



MELANOCARPA, The black-fruited ivy (syn. Arborescens, Baccifera nigra). 

 The arborescent or fruiting form of Hedera helix, the common European ivy. 

 The growth is tree-like, stout, and frequently branching ; the leaves are uniformly 

 ovate, varying in breadth and without lobes, light grassy green, glossy, and the 



Discolor. 



veins obscurely marked. This is the form in which our British ivy is usually met 

 with on ruins and old walls and on the upper parts of old trees, &c. wherever, 

 indeed, it has ceased to climb and has formed a branching tree-like mass of 

 vegetation. The arborescent form of H. helix is much less sportive than the 

 climbing form, but not wanting in variety, as the members of this group will show . 

 The commonest form of the plant is represented in the figure A, page 94, which 

 may be termed the ivy of ruins, as distinguished from all others. The leaves are 

 rarely lobed, the growth is compact, and a few scattered stem-roots occur on tha 

 young shoots, which enable them to grip the stone and obtain a firm hold before 

 they branch out into smooth twiggy shoots bearing umbels of flowers. The 

 figure B, page 95, represents a more diffuse habited plant, with leaves occasionally 

 lobed and stems quite destitute of holding stem-roots. 



CORRUGATA, Crenated-leaved black-fruited ivy (syn. Palmata digitata, Helix 

 incisa, Baccifera crenata). A pretty and distinct tree ivy, which grows freely and 



