elve
inches, or even more; and certainly a more elegant object than it
presents when in this state can scarcely be seen, nor one which forms
a more graceful ornament to a vase of flowers, if introduced as it
grows, depending from one of the vigorous young purple shoots, itself
shining with a sort of metallic lustre, and richly coloured with green
and purple. But it is only on the loose young shoots that it assumes
this very graceful appearance. If it is sufficiently near to a wall,
or other support, instead of thus hanging pendent, its main stalk
nearest the leaf contracts into a spiral form, thus shortening the
tendril, and giving it greater power than so frail and slight a thing
could otherwise possess; and the elasticity produced by the
convolutions enables the branch slightly to yield to the influence of
the wind, which makes it less likely to be torn down. Each extremity,
as I have said, is armed with a hook, which hook, as soon as it
touches, lays firm hold on the wall; and these tendrils occurring
close together, and a large proportion of them fixing on some object,
a wonderfully strong support is afforded to the plant. This plant is
called by some people, 'the violet-bearing ivy,' although no leaf or
blossom can be less like the ivy or the violet than that of the cobea.

And now, let us pass onwards. There is another tendriled plant, the
passion-vine; and this has a cirrus or tendril quite of a different
kind from that we have just examined. It is simple and unbranched,
springing from the axil of the leaf, straight when young, but speedily
becoming spiral, and forming a very close twist round whatever object
it seizes. It is spiral to within an inch, or less, of its root, and
encircles its support with six or seven circlets like a corkscrew,
thus clasping it with great firmness. This has no hook or other
appendage which would enable it to fix on a wall or other flat
substance; and therefore, unless there are wires, or some other
extraneous supports near, it must be nailed until it reaches a certain
height, when its own stalks supply the requisite props on which the
tendrils may lay hold. The grape and many other vines are furnished
with tendrils, which spring from the root of the leaf-stalk; that of
the grapevine is slightly branched, but not furnished with any hook.
One of its tendrils usually grows close to the stem of the fruit, and
thus sustains the heavy bunch of grapes which must otherwise, when it
increa