CHAPTER XVII 



HOW PLANTS CLIMB 



We have found that plants struggle or contend for a 

 place in which to live. Some of them become adapted to 

 grow in the forest shade, others to grow on other plants, 

 as epiphytes, others to climb to the light. Observe how 

 woods grapes, and other forest climbers, spread their foli- 

 age on the very top of the forest tree, while their long 

 flexile trunks may be bare. 



There are several ways by which plants climb, but most 

 climbers may be classified into four groups : ( i ) scramblers, 

 (2) root climbers, (3) tendril climbers, (4) twiners. 



Scramblers. — Some plants rise to light and air by rest- 

 ing their long and weak stems on the tops of bushes and 

 quick-growing herbs. Their stems may be elevated in part 

 by the growing twigs of the plants on which they recline. 

 Such plants are scramblers. Usually they are provided 

 with prickles or bristles. In most weedy swamp thickets, 

 scrambling plants may be found. Briers, some roses, bed- 

 straw or galium, bittersweet {Solatium Dulcamara, not the 

 Celastrus), the tear-thumb polygonums, and other plants are 

 familiar examples of scramblers. 



Root Climbers. — Some plants climb by means of true 

 roots. These roots seek the dark places and therefore 

 enter the chinks in walls and bark. The trumpet creeper 

 is a familiar example (Fig. 36). The true or English 

 ivy, which is often grown to cover buildings, is another 

 instance. Still another is the poison ivy. Roots are 

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