The Vines of North Carolina 37 



Carolina Jessamine. (Gelsemium sempervirens, Ait.) — No 

 plant is more common in the Lower District, but it reaches very 

 little into the Middle. It extends northward into Virginia, but 

 becomes much more luxuriant as we go south. Its graceful ever- 

 green leaves, the profusion of its large, bright yellow and de- 

 liriously fragrant blossoms, render this vine the pride of our 

 forest. The odor of the flowers in a close room sometimes in- 

 duces headache. Most of the plant, especially the root, taken 

 internally, is narcotic and poisonous. A tincture of the root, 

 judiciously administered, is useful in rheumatic affections; but 

 in the hands of quacks death has been caused by it. 



(Forsteronia difformis, A. DC.) — A smooth twining plant, 6 

 to 12 feet long, found chiefly in the Lower District, but extending 

 into the interior as far at least as Wake County. It is sometimes 

 mistaken for the Yellow Jessamine, but the flowers are tubular 

 and smaller, more like those of a Woodbine, about 1-3 inch long, 

 and greenish-yellow. The fruit is a slender pod, containing seeds 

 that have a tuft of down. 



The next Group of three genera have their seeds in small dry 

 capsules. 



Wax-work. Bittersweet. (Celastrus scandens, Linn.) — This 

 is to me the rarest plant in the State, as I have seen but a single 

 stock, near Lincolnton. This is its most southern known limit. 

 It ascends trees to the height of 12 or 15 feet. The leaves are 

 about 3 inches long, taper pointed, smooth, toothed. The berry- 

 like capsule is orange-red, clustered on the ends of its short 

 branches, of the size of a large pea, bursting when mature and 

 disclosing 3 to 6 scarlet seeds. In this state it is quite an orna- 

 mental vine. 



(Decumaria barbara, Linn.) — A pretty vine ascending trunks 

 by means of rootlets insinuated into the bark, after the manner 

 of the Poison Vine. The leaves are 3 to 4 inches long, broadly 

 ovate, opposite, rather thick and shining, generally with scattered 

 teeth towards the upper end. The flowers are small, white and 

 fragrant, in showy compound clusters on the ends of the 

 branches, opening in May. This is found in the Lower District 

 only, and is unknown north of this State. 



Wild Ginger. Big Sarsaparilla. (Aristolochia Sipho, 

 L'Her.) — Found in rich soils all along our mountain rivulets, 

 climbing over bushes, and sometimes ascending trees. The 

 stems are occasionally 2 inches thick. The leaves are roundish, 

 heart-shaped, 8 to 12 inches broad, and slightly downy on the 

 underside. The flower is coarse, brownish-purple, li/ 2 inch long, 

 somewhat tubular, with top cut into three segments, below which 



