Hedera Helix. Ivy. 
HEDERA Limuli Gen. PI- Pehtandkia Monooynia. Petala quinque oblonga. Bucca quinquefperma 
calyce cindta. 
Raii Syn. Arbores et Frutices fructu flori petaloidi contiguo. 
HEDERA Helix 'foliis ovatis lobatifque. Limi. SJi. Vegetab. f. 202. Sp. PI. 292. FI. Suecic. p. 75. 
HEDERA foliis Herilibus trilobatis, fruaiferis ovato-lanceolatis. Haller bift. helv. n. 826. 
HEDERA Helix. Scopuli FI. Carniol. n. 271. Hudfin FI. Angi p. 85. 
HEDERA arborea. Bauhin. Pin. 305. 
HEDERA poetica. Bauhin. Pin. 305. 
HEDERA major fterilis. Bauhin. Pin. 303. 
HEDERA humi repens. Bauhin. Pin. 305. 
HEDERA arborea five fcandens’ et corymbofa communis. Parhinfon 678. 
HEDERA Helix Ger.Em. 858. Raii Syn. 459. Climbing or Berried Ivy: alfo Barren or Creeping Ivy. 
TRUNCUS in arboribus hujus fpeciei fenefcentibus cor- f 
tice rimofo cinereo veftitur, in novellis ramis • 
viridis aut purpureus cernitur, fibrillas e la- : : 
tere interiori exerit, quorum ope proximis 
arboribus aut parietibus innixus alta petit. : 
FOLIA quam maxime varia, dum planta repit plerum- 
que trilobata, quinquelobata etiam occurunt; 
adminiculis derelidtis, ovata fiunt ; glabra, ni- 
tentia, nunc rubedine ornata, nunc venis albis 
pi&a, prefertim in ramulis junioribus. 
FLORES lutefcentes, in fummitatibus caulium umbel- 
latim difpofiti, Umbellae denfae, globofae. 
COROLLA : quinque, ovata, flavefcentia, patentia. 
STAMINA : Filamenta quinque longitudine Corollas ; 
AntiierjE bafi bifidae, incumbentes, 1. 
PISTILLUM: Germen turbinatum; Stylus fimplex, 
breviffimus ; Stigma fimplex, fig. 2. 
PERICARPIUM : Bacca globofa, nigra, intus purpu- 
rea, quadrilocularis aut quinquelocularis, coro- 
nata receptaculo et ftylo conico brevi, loculis 
monofpermis, fig. 3, 4. 
SEMINA quinque, hinc gibba, inde angulata, jig. 6. 
TRUNK; the trunk in trees of this fpecies, which 
are old, is covered with an alh-coloured chop- 
ped bark, in the young branches it is of a 
green or purple colour ; from the infide of the 
trunk a great number offmall fibres are thrown 
out, by the affiftanee of which, it fupports 
itfelf on the neareft walls and trees, and climbs 
aloft. 
LEAVES as various as pofiible, while the plant creep9 
they are in general trilobate, fometimes quin- 
quelobate, leaving its lupporters, they become 
oval ; fmooth, finning, fometimes ti&ured with 
red, fometimes painted with white veins, par- 
ticularly in the young branches. 
FLOWERS yellowifii, growing on the top of the ftalks 
in thick round Umbels, 
COROLLA : Petals five, oval, yellowifh and fpread- 
ing, 
STAMINA: five Filaments the length of the Co- 
rolla ; Anther.e bifid at bottom, and incum- 
bent, fig. 1 . 
PISTILLUM: Germen roundilh; Style fimple and 
very fliort ; Stigma fimple, fig. 2. 
SEED-VESSEL : a round Berry, externally black, 
internally purple, with four or five cavities each 
containing one feed, crowned with the recepta- 
cle and Ihort conic Style, fig. 3, 4. 
SEEDS five, on one fide gibbous, on the other angu- 
The Hedera Helix begins to blow in funny afpe&s towards the end of September, and according to fituation blof- 
foms on through October, and November. This plant is one of the laft blowers and is much reiorted to by bees, 
and flies of various fpecies, which fwarm on its branches, and feed on its bloffoms, making fuch a humming on 
funny days as may be diftinguilhed at a confiderable diftance. , „ . 
The berries encreafe in bulk gradually all through the winter months, and are full formed by February; in 
April they ripen and turn very black, and are eaten by feveral fpecies of thrufties, and wild pigeons. Thus does 
fructification manifeftly obtain in this inftance all through the winter months, as well as in the mofles and lichens. 
Sheep are very fond of Ivy, which in hard weather is a warm and wholfome food ; and therefore fhepherds 
in fnowy feafons cut down branches for their flocks tobrouze on. Cato diredts that in a fcarcity of hay, cattle Ihould 
^Profeflbr K alm, ^in his travels through the greateft: part of N. America, faw but one plant of Ivy, and that was 
running up the walls of a man’s houfe : this fpecimeh was probably carried thither by feme European who perhaps 
was defirous of propagating in that new world a plant that might ftill recall to his mind the pleafing Idea ot his 
native cottage, tufted with the foliage of this beautiful Evergreen. . , , 
The antients held this plant in great efteem ; their Heroes and Poets are defcribed as wearing garlands compofed 
of it The fuppofition of its preventing intoxication is of very early date : Homer therefore mentions his Bacchus 
as Ivy-crowned and often defcribes his Heroes drinking out of a Cup made of the wood of Ivy. 
Cato tells us that with a cup of this kind we may diflinguifli winethathas been adulterated with water, for the wine 
will be difcharged and the water remain : to fuch an extravagant afiertion has this grave author been probably led 
by relying on the fuppofed antipathy between the wine and ivy : This cup is ftill ufed in fome parts of the kingdom 
as a remedy for a trembling hand ; but rational practice has not admitted any part of the Hedera into the Materia 
Medica, Ivy-leaves however are faid to be fuccesfully applied to painful Corns. When it trails on the ground it 
branches are finall and weak ; and its leaves are divided into three lobes ; but when it climbs walls or trees it grows 
much ftronger and the leaf changes to an oval form :' thele different appearances induced old Botamfts to fop pole 
there were two or three different fpecies. In its variegated ftate it fometimes appears almofi: white, and may peihaps be 
the Hedera alba, and pallentes Hedera of Virgil. , . , . c • c , e 
Few people are acquainted with the beauty of Ivy when fuffered to run up a ftake and at length to form itfelf 
into a Itandard, the Angular complication ofits branches and the -vivid hue of its leaves give it one of hiM 
places among!! evergreens in a Ihrubbery ; In woods when buffered to grow large, and rampant, this plant by 
twilling round their bodies does great damage to timber trees ; and therefore filould be carefully deftroyed . but 
in ornamented Out-lets, where evergreens do not abound, a few trees covered_ with Ivy have a very pleafing 
effedt and moreover induce birds of long to haunt thofe thickets for the fake of the berries and Ihelter. 
"in ’the Stump of Ivy many birds build their Nells particularly the Black-bird. . 
When Ivy is prejudicial, it may eafily be deflroyed, tho’ it has fpread to a great height, by cutting through 
its Trunk, and this Ihows that the fibres which the Stalk throws out in fo Angular a manner ferve more to lup- 
P °The foft wood of Ivy is made ufe of by ■ Shoemakers , to give a fmooth edge to their cutting knives. , 
