Thorny and Climbing Plants. (A walk) 97 



When you looked at the thorns on the wild rose 

 you noticed how their claw-like shape made their under 

 sides catch in the other branches as soon as they touched 

 them. Does this suggest to you a second important part 

 that is played by thorns like these? In the thick 

 undergrowth among which briars and brambles usually 

 grow each plant has a hard struggle to get as much 

 light and air as it wants, and anything that will help it 



Fig. 49. Brambles growing among their natural surroundings in a wood. 



to raise its head above its neighbours will give it a great 

 advantage over them. This is just what the thorns do 

 for the briars. As the young shoots grow taller the 

 thorns on them seize firm hold of any hedge or bush 

 against which they may be growing and prevent them 

 from slipping back. Other plants have various ways of 

 their own of gaining the same end. The long flexible 

 stem of the ivy is very dependent on outside support, 

 G. 7 



