Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XVI.djvu/408

 388 VIRGINIA CREEPER VIRIATHUS as high as 50 ft. or more, by means of tendrils, and sometimes by rootlets also ; the leaves, upon long petioles, are palmately divided into five oblong-lanceolate, cut-toothed leaflets, of a dark shining green ; the flowers, in cymes opposite the leaves, are small, with a very short, obscurely five-toothed calyx, and five thick, Virginia Creeper (Ampulopsis quinquefolta). fleshy petals, which fall soon after opening ; sta- mens five ; the ovary, surmounted by the stigma, two-celled, and ripening into a dark blue, globu- lar, two- to four-seeded berry ; at the same time the fruit stalks become a rich red color. The tendrils, borne at the nodes opposite the leaves, are branched as in the grape, though much shorter, and do not like those catch around a support by means of their hooked Virginia Creeper Tendrils and Disks. tips ; the tendrils of this turn from the light toward the tree or wall against which the vine grows, where their tips, when they come in contact with the support, expand, and form a disk which adheres to the surface with great tenacity ; those tendrils or branches which do not become attached soon wither, while the others, which spread themselves as far apart as possible, when they have taken firm hold by their disks contract into coils and become strong and wiry, so that the plant is held to its support by numerous elastic springs. As an ornamental climber this is one of the most valued, especially as its leaves in autumn as- sume the richest shades of scarlet, crimson, and purple. The vine is also often called American ivy and American woodbine, names suggested by a similarity of habit. The name American ivy has caused many to confound it with the poison ivy (rhu toxicodendron), which also climbs walls and high trees, and the two are often found growing together ; the poison ivy (see SUMACH) is a very dangerous plant, while this is perfectly harmless ; they are easily dis- tinguished by their three-parted and five-parted leaves, and it may be well to remember that no native vino with a five-parted leaf is poi- sonous. For a long time this was the only species of ampelopsis in cultivation, but within a. few years one has been introduced from Japan which is becoming very popular. It is called in the catalogues A. Vietchii, but it was many years ago described by Siebold and Zuc- carini as A. tricupidata^ which is the prior and correct name. This Japan creeper has three-lobed (not divided) leaves, which are much smaller than in the other, and cover a wall with the densest curtain of foliage ; the leaves of this also turn to brilliant colors in autumn ; it has proved quite hardy pear Boston. VIRGIN ISLANDS, a group of the West Indies, E. of Porto Rico, between lat. 17 80' and 18 50' N., and Ion. 64 10' and 65* 80' W. ; total area, about 250 sq. m. ; pop. about 45,000. They are about 100 in number, 50 of which, inclu- ding Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, Jost van Dyke's, Guano isle, Beef island, Thatch island, Prickly Pear, Camanas, Cooper's, St. Peter's, and Salt, belong to Great Britain ; St. Thomas, Santa Cruz, St. John, and several smaller ones to Denmark ; Culebra and a number of islets to Spain ; and Vidques, or Crab island, to all three powers. Not more than one fourth of the group are inhabited. Sugar, molasses, rum, indigo, salt, cotton, tobacco, turmeric, pimen- to, and ginger are exported. The climate is variable, and there are occasional earthquakes. The British islands (area, 57 sq. m. ; pop. in 1871, 6,651) were included in 1872 in the con- federation of the Leeward Islands, to the gov- ernor of which the executive officer, called president, is directly responsible. The revenue in 1872 was 1,685, the expenditure 1,631. The group was discovered by Columbus in 1494. VIRGIN'S BOWER. See CLEMATIS. MKI TIII s, a Lusitanian warrior, assassina- ted in 140 B. C. He was one of those who es- caped the slaughter of the Lusitanians in 150 by Servius Sulpicius Galba. In 147 he was chosen general by the Lusitanians, who con- tinued the conflict against the Romans. After extricating his troops from a fortress in which they had been shut up by Vetilius, he drew