Hedera helix, L.

1. H. helix L. View in CoL , Sp. Pl. 202 (1753) View Cited Treatment .

Stem up to 30 m, creeping or climbing. Young shoots and inflorescence densely covered with stellate to peltate hairs 0- 15-0-4 mm in diameter, with (4-)6-16(-22) rays. Leaves shining, dark green, dimorphic; those of the flowering shoots (often absent in shady or cold situations) 6-10 x 2-12 cm, narrowly elliptical to suborbicular-cordate, entire; those of the non-flowering shoots up to 15 x 15 cm but usually much less, palmately 3- or 5-lobed. Petals 3-5 mm, yellowish-green, patent, later deflexed. Berry with 2-3 seeds. Climbing on trees, rocks and walls, or covering the ground in woods. IV., C. & S. Europe, northwards to 60° 30' in Norway, and extending eastwards to Latvia and Ukraine. All except Fa Fe Is Sb Rs (N, E).

Widely cultivated in gardens, where a large number of cultivars differing mainly in size, shape and colour of leaves, are known. Cuttings taken from flowering shoots form erect shrubs with leaves of one type only; these are often cultivated. The wild

populations are also very variable, but beyond the recognition of three subspecies it is difficult to give satisfactory taxonomic expression to this variation.

1 Ripe fruit yellow (b) subsp. poetarum

1 Ripe fruit black

2 Hairs stellate,mostlywith6 -10 squarrose rays,unitedonlyat the extreme base (a) subsp. helix

2 Hairs stellate-peltate, mostly with 13-16 horizontal rays, united for about J of their length (c) subsp. canariensis