HEDGE AND DITCH 161 



are many ; can you tell why ? Can you point out any 

 peculiarity which helps us to understand how it is that 

 ivy alone among our climbers should be able to ascend 

 the highest tree ? (10) 



Sow a few garden nasturtiums (Tropaeolum) at the foot 

 of a hedge. When they come up, draw the leaf of a young 

 seedling, a leaf preparing to catch hold, and a leaf which 

 has got a firm hold. 



We are told in systematic books that Tropseolum comes 

 close to the Geranium family, but differs in some small 

 details, such as the alternate (instead of opposite) leaves, 

 and the want of stipules. Show by means of a very young 

 seedling of Tropaeolum that the leaves are at first opposite 

 and furnished with stipules. What conclusion do you 

 draw from these facts ? 



Classify all the climbing plants that you have come across 

 according to their modes of climbing. Do all the plants 

 that climb belong to one family ? Do all the climbing 

 plants of the same family climb in the same way ? (n). 



NETTLE-LEAVED HEDGE-PLANTS. 



A number of plants which seek the protection of the 

 hedge have so similar a form, that they may perhaps be 

 mistaken for one another when not in flower. They have 

 upright stems, which give off ovate leaves, cordate at the 

 base and coarsely serrate. The common nettle is a good 

 example, so are the various plants called dead-nettles (a 

 name that should be dropped as misleading), plants not 

 allied to the true nettles in any way, but having the same 

 form of leaf, and something of the same general look. 

 Among these are the water-mint, hedge Stachys, catmint, 

 the common Galeopsis or hemp-nettle, black horehound, 

 the white, spotted and yellow Lamiums and wood-sage. 

 Though all these have stalks and leaves which resemble 

 those of a stinging nettle, they belong to the Labiate 

 family. We have also in the Crucifer family the nettle- 

 leaved garlic-mustard (Alliaria). Evidently it is not close 



