286 



THE AMERICAN 



The Virginia Creeper, 



{Ampelopsis quinque folia , Michx.) 

 Both are woody vines, and moi-e or less orna- 

 mental in autumn. The Virginia Creeper 

 belongs to the Grape, or Vine family ( Vitaceai), 

 bears blue berries like grapes, and hangs on by 

 tendrils. The Creeper has five leaflets to a leaf, 

 the Ivy three. 



[Fig. 379.] 



Virginia Creeper {Ampeloj^sis quinquefolia, Michx.) 



The Virginia Creeper is one of the favorites 

 as a climber on old trees, shrubs, stone walls, 

 and churches, on account of its rapid growth, 

 hardiness, graceful appearance, and beautiful 

 red leaves in autumn. Its manner of holding 

 fast is worthy of notice. The tendrils grow 

 very much like those of the common grapevine, 

 and hold fast in a similar manner. But it can 

 climb where the grape cannot — up the side of a 

 brick or stone wall, bark of a tree, or siding of 

 a house. This it does by expanding the tips of 

 the tendrils, covering them with a sticky sub- 

 stance — a natural prepared glue. This is held 

 patiently to the place until the glue hardens, 

 when the tendril makes a double twist, and 

 hugs the vine closer to the wall. The tips of 

 the tendrils which take hold of small limbs often 

 make the coil more secure by sticking the end 

 fast to the support. W. J. Beal. 



Chicago, May 25, 1870. 



Figs grow very abundantly in South Carolina ; 

 they ripen twice a year, and compete, when 

 dried and packed, with the foreign imported 

 ones in the home market. 



SEA-SIDE CROWFOOT, 



{Ranunculvs cynibalaria, Pursh.) 



E. 51. HALE, 3I.D., PEOF. OF MEDICAL BOTANY, CHICAGO. 

 [Fig. ISO.] 



Seaside Crowfoot (Ranunculus cymbalaria, Pursli,) 



Among all the Ranunculacse, none are more 

 beautiful than the little " Sea-side Crowfoot.' 

 We present a figure of this little plant, by which 

 it will be seen that it is one of the smallest of 

 the Crowfoot family. It is also one of the most 

 interesting. The plant has a short stem, which 

 sends oiF long runners from the base that are 

 rooting and leafy at the joints. The leaves are 

 all roundish, mostly heart-shaped at the base, 

 crenate-toothed, rather fleshy, and on long peti- 

 oles. The flower stalks are leafless, and bear 

 from one to seven or eight flowers. The 

 petals are five to eight, and of a beautiful bril- 

 liant yellow. Carpels (pistils) are in oblong 

 heads, very numerous, short-beaked, and striatc- 

 veined on the sides. 



The flowers usually begin to appear about the 

 first of June. In Chicago, for several years, I 

 have found the first flowers on the 25th and 28th 

 of May, but this year (1870) I found a few on 

 the 20th of May. It has delicate, white, fibrous 

 roots, two or three inches long. The fine slen- 

 der runners are sometimes several feet in length. 



