C/ijiibinir Plants and Plant Misvations 



125 



Tendril Climbers. — The Pea family, Grenadilla and other 

 plants, climb by tendrils. The pumpkin, cucumber, and 

 calabash seldom make use of their tendrils. Their heavy fruits 

 would be a great strain on the plants ; but several native rela- 

 tives, Luffa and Lagenaria, with their lighter fibrous fruits, are 

 climbers, and Gerrardanthus megarhiza, T. and H., of Natal 

 climbs to the tops of highest trees. 



Fig. III. — Microloma gets up in the world 

 by twining on stems of other plants. 



Fig. 112. — The first leaf of the 

 branch in the pumpkin family 

 changes into a tendril. 



The tendrils of the Pea are formed from the upper leaflets 

 of a compound leaf This use of the leaf throws the responsi- 

 bility of making food upon the stipules or upon the broad- 

 winged stem. In the grape vine the main stem turns aside 

 to form the tendril and to bear the fruit, while the tendrils of 

 Clematis are formed from the petioles. What is the tendril of 

 the Grenadilla ? 



The beautiful scarlet and orange blossoms of Gloriosa 



