154 THE BEHAVIOUR OF PLANTS 
The ampelopsis, or Virginia creeper, as it 1s called, 
climbs by tendrils. It 1s often used to train on the 
» walls of houses. Where the ends of the 
/ tendrils strike against the hard wall of 
the house, they flatten out mto little 
disks, which cling very firmly and hold 
‘up the large and heavy vines. 

The clematis, or virgin’s bower, climbs 
Y 
Fic. 190. Tendril of 
Virginia creeper. Th e p et] 0] e, or mi d- 
rib of the leaf, acts like a tendril 
and coils round an object for 
in a peculiar way. 
support. 
Root climbers. ‘The common ivy 
is a plant which every one likes 
on account of its shapely leaves 
and climbing habit. If you exam- 
tne the stems pressed (Fig. 84) 
against a wall or tree trunk, you 
will see that they produce many 
clusters of short sucker-like roots. 
With these the ivy holds on to 
the wall or tree and creeps slowly 
up. Notice, too, that these roots Bias adie Pine ior ea 
are produced just when and where Grirgnia etcehee) Oa 
they are specially wanted. When | 
the long stems have clambered up to the top of a wall 

