File:The natural history of plants, their forms, growth, reproduction, and distribution; (1902) (14803403533).jpg

Identifier: naturalhistoryof01kern (find matches)
Title: The natural history of plants, their forms, growth, reproduction, and distribution;
Year: 1902 (1900s)
Authors: Kerner von Marilaun, Anton, 1831-1898 Oliver, Francis Wall, 1864- Macdonald, Mary Frances Ewart Busk, Marian Balfour, Lady
Subjects: Botany
Publisher: London, Blackie
Contributing Library: NCSU Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: NCSU Libraries

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bouring one can always take itsplace. Generally plants with tendril-bearing stems are at a decided advantage incomparison with all other forms of climbing growths, which explains the fact thattheir number is in considerable excess of the others. In climbing over a shatteredrock-face or thick tree-trunk they have a great advantage over plants withtwining stems. In some cases the tips of the tendrils fasten on even to the smoothestrocks by peculiar discs, or they grip and hold fast to small projecting portions CLIMBING PLANTS. 691 of bark and the stumps of broken twigs, things which are impossible to twiningstems. Tendrils preferably twine round horizontal twigs and leaf-stalks, andfrequently round old tendril-bearing stems which have previously climbed up tothe crown of a tree. When they have reached up to the branches, they can passover from one bough to another, fasten themselves firmly above and below, and sogradually invest the whole of the crown. From the summit fresh shoots arise
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Fig. 163.—Leaf-stalk tendrils of Atragene alpina. which curve downwards and are swayed by the lightest breath of wind; fromthem new tendrils project, like the tentacles of some sea-monster, and if one ofthem but touches a leaf-stalk or twig of a neighbouring tree, it curves round itand grasps it firmly. Very soon a second, third, and fourth tendril will similarlybecome attached, and, contracting spirally, will pull the pendent shoot up to theneighbouring tree-crown. The bridge so formed is again used as a means of transitby other climbing stems, and thus arise garlands and festoons, which hang fromtree to tree; whilst not infrequently an actual arcade is formed whose roof, 692 CLIMBING PLANTS. formed of tendril-bearing stems, is borne by two adjacent trees or thickets asthough by two gigantic piers. Another advantage which tendril-bearing stemshave over twiners consists in the fact that they can reach the same height abovethe ground with less expenditure of material. The twining ste

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