Dr. Millspaugh lists this species as Cissus ampelopsis in the Flora of West Virginia and adds on the authority of Mertz and Guttenberg that it also occurs in Ohio, near Wheeling. Upon inquiry of Supt. Mertz, I learn that his notes of work upwards of twenty years ago contain no mention of this species at Wheeling, West Virginia, or at Bellaire, Ohio. He further informs me that what was taken for this Ampelopsis at Bellaire was probably Vitis cordifolia, three forms of which were found growing on the islands of the Ohio River near Wheeling. Of these he adds in a letter to the writer, “I think we probably decided that one was V. indivisa; but I feel sure that it was not and you are probably the first to find it in Ohio.”
It will be observed that the distribution as noted by Professor Stanley Coulter extends its range still further northward than my Ohio station. It is likely that its occurrence still further northward in Ohio may be detected by assiduous collectors.
I wish to say a word concerning the ornamental character of this native vine. The foliage is bright green and very handsome. A figure of a single leaf is shown in Plate 1, figure 2. This is reduced from a photograph taken with the leaf itself used as a negative. I have never detected a fungous attack or insect depredation on the leaves. The small dull-colored bluish fruits in loose panicles when abundant are somewhat ornamental. The vine is a vigorous grower and clings firmly to supports. Figure 4 shows a plant used for ornamental purposes growing on the south side of the Botanical Building at the Ohio State University. A figure from a still more vigorous specimen was shown by Mrs. Kellerman in Vick’s Magazine, January, 1900. This was made from a photograph of a specimen growing at the north porch of a residence in Columbus, Ohio. The same has been reproduced by Dr. Halsted in Bulletin No. 144 of the New Jersey Experiment Station. The species can be transplanted readily. One of the plants just referred to was dug up in June in Linn County, Kansas, and easily survived its rough treatment. Roots were taken from the Portsmouth plant in July this year and they are now growing and producing stems. We have repeatedly transplanted specimens that were grown from roots and from cuttings in the green house and always with success.