127 



quila for their lances, and tlie rush of Valdivia 

 for caneSj which are much esteemed. 



Skct. VI. Cliinhing Plants. Climbing' plants, 

 or creoperS;, are found in great abundance in all 

 the fhickels. Several of the mo-jt beautiful are 

 employed to decorate the trellices of gardens. 

 Among others, the copiu deserves to be noticed ; 

 its flow^ers, each of wliich is composed of six 

 petals, three inches in length, are of the most 

 beautiful crimson, spotted within with white. 

 This plant climbs up the highest trees ; its 

 leaves are disposed by threes, and are of a beau- 

 tiful green, and an oval shape ; the {':uit is an 

 inch in diameter, cylindrical, of a dull yellow, 

 and contains a white tender pulp of a sweet and 

 pleasant taste. In Chili is likewi.-c found the 

 passion-fiu~ucer (passillora tilice folia) the cara- 

 cal, the sarsaparilla, the ah'rocmcria sahilla^ 

 and four or five other species of those vines 

 called by the French llanes, and !)y the inhabit- 

 ants zvqui. One of the most useful is tlie cc^gul 

 (dolichos funarius). The \h]c is round, and 

 ligneous, and of the size of pack-thread, and 

 its flowers resemble those of iho co];iu. it 

 climbs upon the trees like the ivy, but wiihout 

 attaching itself to them. V/hcn li riache.-; the 

 top of a tree, it desceiids fro'ii it perpendicular] v, 

 and as it continues to grow^ exioiids itself fro sit 



