Onar. IV. 
CUCURBITACE. 
127 
CHAPTER IV. 
TENDRIL-BreaRERS—(continued). 
CuounsiracrEm—Homologous nature of the tendrils—Echinocystis lobatu, 
remarkable movements of the tendrils to avoid seizing the terminal 
shoot—Tendrils not excited by contact with another tendril or by 
drops of water—Undulatory movement of the extremity of the tendril 
—Hanburya, adherent dises—Viraca—Gradation between the 
flower-peduncles and tendrils of the vine—Tendrils of the Virginian 
Creeper turn from the light, and, after contact, develop adhesive 
discs—Sapinpacem —PassirLoracem—Passiflora gracilis — Rapid 
revolving movement and sensitiveness of the tendrils—Not sensitive 
to the contact of other tendrils or of drops of water—Spiral con- 
traction of tendrils—Summary on the nature and action of 
tendrils, 
CucurBITACES.—The tendrils in this family have 
been ranked by competent judges as modified leaves, 
stipules, or branches; or as partly a leaf and partly 
a branch. De Candolle believes that the tendrils 
differ in their homological nature in two of the tribes.* 
From facts recently adduced, Mr. Berkeley thinks 
that Payer’s view is the most probable, namely, that 
the tendril is “a separate portion of the leaf itself,” 
but much may be said in favour of the belief that it 
is a modified flower-peduncle.t 
* T am indebted to Prof. Oliver 
for information on this head. In 
the Bulletin de la Société Bota- 
nique de France, 1857, there are 
numerous discussions on the 
nature of the tendrils in this 
family. 
ft ‘Gardeners’ Chronicle,’ 1864, 
p. 721. From the affinity of the 
Cucurbitacee to the Passifloraceze, 
it might be argued that the 
tendrils of the former are modified 
flower-peduncles, as is certainly 
the case with those of Passion- 
