Growth-Forms. 115 
Winding lianes'). 
The climbing stems are usually quite slender and so can make use of 
small shrubs and young trees in order to raise themselves in the first instance, 
but these are frequently killed by the increasing pressure of the winding stem 
and the number that thus succumb must be indeed great. Sometimes for many 
square metres at a time the black stems :of Rhrpogonum scandens form close 
entanglements no trace remaining of the original host-plants. 
Lycopodium volubile is an interesting example of the transition of a creeping 
ground-plant to a winding-liane by way of a scrambling plant. This plant, as 
a creeper, in many places extends its slender, woody, stiff stems far and wide, 
rooting in the soil and raising them unsupported for 60 cm, or so, into the 
air. Thus a prop may be gained, and this happening, the method of climbing 
depends upon the nature of such. If the support be twiggy, the liane merely 
scrambles through the branches, its lateral branchlets- at about a right angle 
to the axis, the sporophyli-bearing branches and the hook-leaves of the stem 
all functioning as climbing organs, the last-named also aided by the flexuous 
stems. Where the support however is smooth and with few projections, the 
stem of the Zycopodium twines strongly gripping the support tightly?). 
In the case of Senecio sciadophilus, a true winding liane, the stems, when 
on the ground, put forth long roots in abundance, branch, extend over a 
considerable area, bear abundance of leaves, and are, in fact, creeping plants 
pure and simple. The occasional winding of the root-climber Blechnum fili- 
forme, when the support is specially slender, may also be cited. A few others 
of the winding lianes demand brief mention. 
Rhipogonum scandens at’first puts forth a stout, succulent fast-growing 
stem from its root-stock sparingly furnished with a few scale-like -coloured 
‚leaves, but the mature climbing stem gives off non-climbing branches which 
bear large, green, oblong, coriaceous leaves. The winding-fern, Lygodium 
articulatum, forms masses er wiry, slender, brown, extremely tough climbing- 
stems which wind round one another as well as the branches of the support. 
These stems are morphologically leaf-spindles of unlimited growth. Afrond 
thus may attain the great length of 4o m, but frequently the liane is confined 
to shrubs or low trees. The first 2 or 3 fronds never climb and are only a 
about ı2 cm high; probably their function i is to construct food for the - succeeding = 
tinue to extend, or the bud at its apex remain 52 
Muehlenbeckia. are : extremely Er M. australis covering“ 
EN: 3 Tin wor pr a up don an a 
Mr. gap ArEuston 
