TENDRILS 189 



examine our grape arbor in June we find a num- 

 ber of drooping, swaying branches. The leaves 

 are scattered singly at intervals of a few inches 

 along the branch, each of the upper ones being 

 attended on its opposite side by a drooping clus- 

 ter of mignonette -scented blossoms. Thus they 

 follow down towards the tip of the branch, where 

 the clusters suddenly cease, and are replaced by 

 long, slender, curving and branched tendrils, some- 

 times ten inches long. We might thus reasona- 

 bly assume the tendril in this case to be a modi- 

 fied blossom cluster, but there is no need for us 

 ever to assume such a thing. If w r e will only 

 search with sufficient care we shall at last dis- 

 cover the absolute proof of the fact in a tendril 

 which is partly in blossom, the nearest leaf-joint 

 above it having a full cluster of blossoms, and the 

 tendril below it, nearer the tip, not a few scattered 

 flower-buds at its tips. This grape-vine instance 

 may be taken as a demonstration that in no case 

 is the tendril a special or primal organ, but mere- 

 ly an old one adapted to a new purpose. In one 

 instance from a leaf, in another from a flower- 

 stalk, just which can generally be determined by a 

 sufficient search for the telltale intermediate form 

 somewhere to be found on the plant. 



Among the most beautiful of all tendrils are 

 those of the passion-flower and plants of the 

 melon family, notably the wild star - cucumber, 



