184 BRITISH WILD FLOWERS. 
chalky soils. It flowers in June, and ripens its berries in August; about which time the leaves and branches 
begin to take a reddish hue, which gradually deepens, as the season advances, till the branches become a deep 
red, and the leaves take a purplish hue. The appearance of the red wood, which continues during the whole of 
the winter, is very striking in the woods, and renders this plant more ornamental during winter than at any 
other season of the year, as the flowers are small, and being greenish, are of no particular beauty. 
* * Flowers in an involucrum. 
2. —THE DWARF CORNEL. (Cornus suecica, Lin.) 
Engravings.— Eng. Bot., t. 310 ; 2nd ed., t. 228. I stalked, with an involucrum. Ribs of the leaves but slightly com- 
Specific Character. —Herbaceous. Umbel between two branches, | bined. (Smith.) 
Description, &c. —This is a perennial plant which flowers in June and July, and produces its pretty red 
berries, which are good to eat, in autumn. It is only found on the hills in the north of England and in Scotland. 
It is a dwarf plant, and consequently much less conspicuous than the common Dog-wood ; but its flowers, 
though not very large, are more ornamental than those of that species, and bear more resemblance to those of the 
beautiful Cornel Tree of Europe. 
GENUS YII. 
THE IVY. (Hedera, Lin.) 
Lin. Syst. PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Generic Character. —Calyx five-toothed. Petals five. Stamens | seeded. Climbing evergreen shrubs, with umbellate flowers and simple 
five. Anthers forked at the base. Berry succulent, five-celled, five- | leaves. ( Lindley.) 
Description, &c. —There is only one species of Ivy a native of Britain, but it has numerous varieties. The 
name of Hedera is derived from a Greek word signifying to clasp, or cling to ; in allusion to the hold which the 
Ivy takes of everything within its reach. The genus is placed in the Liniuean class Pentandria, from its five 
stamens; and in the order Monogynia, from its single style. 
1.—THE COMMON IVY. (Hedera Helix, Lin.) 
Engravings.—E ng. Bot., t. 1267; 2nd ed., t. 344. 
Specific Character. — Leaves some ovate, some lobed. (Smith.) 
Description, &c. —The British Ivy is so common, that it scarcely needs description. There are, how¬ 
ever, some things respecting it which are either only imperfectly known, or generally misunderstood. As for 
example, what are called its tendrils are, in fact, its roots, which can enter into crevices, or the ground; but 
cannot embrace any object they may be near, though they frequently attach themselves to a tree, by dilating 
themselves to fill up the interstices of the bark. It is thus evident that the Ivy is not injurious to trees, like the 
Honeysuckle, or any other climbing shrub ; but, in fact, it may be said to be useful, in affording a shelter from 
the cold. The smell of the Ivy was anciently supposed to prevent persons becoming intoxicated with wine ; 
and, hence, Ivy crowns were worn by the ancients at their banquets, and the Ivy was dedicated to Bacchus. On 
