VINES AND CBEHPEBS. 595 



a variety originated in France, distinguished by the crimson purple 

 color of the flowers. 



The Yellow-flowered Trumpet Creeper, B. (T.J Jlava 

 speciosa, is a variety with flowers colored as its name imports. 



The . Bitter Sweet. Celastrus scandens. — A twining, wiry- 

 wooded vine, with handsome, glossy, pointed leaves. It twines so 

 tightly around the stems of young trees as frequently Ko kill them. 

 Flowers in June, violet color, and inconspicuous. The berries are 

 red, and showy in autumn, when they burst open, and display 

 orange-colored capsules ; but they are poisonous. Height fifteen 

 to thirty feet. Of little value for culture. 



The Cissus. Cissus. — A running vine, resembling the Vir- 

 ginia creeper in its general appearance, but not of equal beauty. 

 There is a variegated-leaved variety, quinquefolia variegata. 



Clematis or Virgin's Bower. Clematis. — The species are 

 very numerous ; some natives of Europe, and others of our own 

 country. All are twining, of slender, irregular growth, delicate 

 foliage, and marked fragrance of blossoms. They require artificial 

 support, and are adapted to cover arbors, bowers, and low trees, or 

 to be trained on verandas, but not to creep on tree-trunks, or to 

 decorate walls. The petioles of the leaves serve as tendrils. 

 There are many charming varieties in the south, not hardy at the 

 north, and scores of hybrids and varieties have been originated. 



The European Sweet-scented Clematis, C. flamula, has 

 compound leaves, with very narrow leaflets. The flowers are quite 

 small, white, borne from July to October, and exceedingly fragrant. 

 Extent of mature vines from fifteen to thirty feet. 



The White-vine Clematis, C. vitalba, is a stronger-wooded 

 vine than the preceding, with broader leaves, greenish white, incon- 

 spicuous flowers, and the distinguishing peculiarity of seeds around 

 which grow long silky tufts or tassels of a greenish white color, 

 forming a feathery mass of beautiful effect in August and Septem- 

 ber, when covering roofs, low trees, or arbors. These tufts have 

 given the names of " old man's beard " to this species. The vine 



