AMPELIDE^J. 179 



arbours. It affords in this manner a close shade, and preserves 

 its verdure in the driest seasons. It has received the very ill- 

 applied designation of " the Wild Yam" It is a favourite 

 among the Negroes as an application to sores, and is used as a 

 substitute for adhesive plaster. The leaves have a pungent 

 biting taste, resembling that of the Arum tribe. When bruised 

 in water, they make a lather like soap. 



2. * Cissus rugosa. Rugose Bastard Bryony. 

 Leaves cordate trifid or quinquefid rugose, flowers 

 racemose. Robinson. 



Lunans Hort. Jam. II. 316. 

 HAB. Near Longville, Clarendon. 

 FL. ? 



According to Robinson, the leaves are divided like the Vine, 

 and the berries are as large as the common grape. 



3. Cissus acida. Sorrel-Vine. 

 Leaves 3-foliate fleshy glabrous, leaflets obovate 

 wedge-shaped and entire at the base, toothed at the 

 apex. 



Irsiola, Browne, 147 Bryonia alba, Sloane, I. 233. t. 142. 



f. 6. Vitis trifoliata, Plum. Spec. 18. t. 259. f. 5. Cissus 

 acida, Swartz, Obs. 9.Jacq. Schcenb. I. t. 33. 



HAB. Common, climbing on rocky banks and loose stone 

 walls. 



FL. May September. 



Stem climbing, suffruticose, terete, glabrous, ash-coloured ; 

 flexuose, geniculated : branchlets short, green, compressed, 

 striated. Leaflets wedge-shaped and attenuated into a petiolule 

 and entire at the base, rounded and inciso- dentate at the apex, 

 sub-succulent, with the veins obscure and vein-like : petiole 

 semi-terete, channelled above. Stipules falciform, obtuse, de- 

 ciduous. Tendrils, those of the stem opposite to the situation 

 of a leaf which has dropt off, stiff : those of the branchlets op- 

 posite to the subterminal leaves, long, filiform. Peduncle op- 

 posite to the lower leaves of the branchlets, and longer than 

 them, solitary, anguloso-striated, bearing an umbel : rays of the 

 umbel 5, compressed, each bearing an umbellet of pedicelled 

 greenish yellow flowers. Bracteoles at the divisions of the 

 umbel and at the base of the pedicels, small, ovate. Calyx ur- 

 ceolate, obsoletely 4-toothed. Petals 4, oblong, thickened and 

 slightly hooded internally at the apex, deciduous. Stamens 4, 

 opposite to, and shorter than the petals, into the concavity of 

 whose hood the anthers are received. Style short, conical at 

 the base : stigma simple. Berry black, 1-seeded. 

 All parts of the plant have an acid taste. 



