DALECHAMPIA dioscoraefolia. (South America) The spurge family is well known for the poinsettia and other showy euphorbias, but not for its unusual vines. This is one which seems to enchant anyone who sees it. It has slender, somewhat hairy stems, climbing to 10-20’. Set along these are large, nearly heart-shaped, toothed leaves. The more dramatic feature, however, is the flowering shoots. Each has a pair of broad, pointed, reddish purple bracts, 2-3” long, widely spreading above and below the clustered small, whitish flowers. The impression is much like that of the dove tree, Davidia involucrata. This is a plant of rather easy culture but uncertain hardiness; our friend/horticultural guru Patrick Worley has had it recover after freezes of close to 20^oF. In any case, it thrives in sun or light shade along the coast, part shade inland, in reasonably well drained soil, with moderate to regular watering.