36 The Vines of North Carolina 



ovate and heart-shaped, sometimes 3 lobed, smooth above, with 

 a soft gray down underneath. The ripe berries are red, about 

 the size of a small pea, growing in small clusters, containing a 

 hard flat nut which is curved nearly into a ring. 



Moon Seed. (Menispermum Canadense, Linn.) — This is 6 to 

 12 feet long, and woody only in the lower part. It is the only one 

 of our woody Climbers that has the leaf-stalk inserted into the 

 plate of the leaf instead of the lower edge. The berries are black 

 and contain a flat nut, as in the preceding species, curved into 

 the form of a horse shoe. Rare in the Lower District, not un- 

 common elsewhere. 



Poison Vine. (Rhus radicans, Linn.) — Now considered by 

 Botanists as only a variety of Poison Oak, but necessarily sepa- 

 rated in the arrangement I have adopted. It is the only trifoliate 

 woody Climber we have. Like Poison Oak and Poison Sumach, 

 very poisonous to some people. Common throughout the State. 



The next Group of Climbers, comprising five genera, have 

 their fruit in dry pods. All of the species are ornamental. 



Trumpet Flower. (Tecoma radicans, Juss.) — This splendid 

 Climber, ascending the loftiest tree, is found from the coast to 

 the lower part of the mountains, preferring damp rich soils. Its 

 dark green compound leaves ,and scarlet tubular flowers which 

 are 2 to 3 inches long, make it an attractive ornament in yards 

 and gardens. This harmless plant has the reputation, with some, 

 of being poisonous. 



Cross Vine. (Bignonia capreolata, Linn.) — This, like the pre- 

 ceding, is sometimes called Trumpet Flower. The flowers are of 

 similar form, about 2 inches long, but are of a duller red on the 

 outside and yellow within. The leaves are of a dull green, grow- 

 ing in pairs from the end of a common foot-stalk, each leaflet 

 also having its own stalk. This does not climb to so great a 

 height as the other. A cross section of the stem exhibits a por- 

 tion of its inner structure in the form of a Maltese cross, which 

 gives the name to this plant. Not uncommon in the Lower and 

 Middle Districts. 



Virgin's Bower. (Wistaria frutescens, DC.) — This luxuriant, 

 much admired Climber is found, I think, only in damp rich soils 

 of the Lower District. It stands cultivation remarkably well in 

 the Middle District. The leaves are pinnate, like those of the 

 Locust; and the flowers are of the size and structure of the 

 Garden Pea, purplish-blue, in large pendent compact clusters 4 

 to 6 inches long. We have no other woody Vine answering to 

 these characters. The stem is exceedingly tough and serves well 

 for withes or ligatures. 



