Roundrock should be full of this stuff. Missouri about smack dab in the middle of American bittersweet's range, but as far as we've seen in all of our ramblings, we've only found two of the plants, on opposite sides of the lake, and one of them we've never seen again after the first time we spotted years ago. I'm assuming this is American bittersweet and not the Oriental variety that is sold as a landscaping specimen. That fact that it's deep in my forest in a very rural part of the state let's me think this is the native plant and not the invasive ornamental variety. Of course to be sure I'd have to climb high into the spindly tree this vine is growing into (to find the light) and see if the leaves are alternate on the stems. Actually, I can know that I have more of these plants by the fact that I have one that is bearing fruit. Bittersweet comes in male and female plants, so for this female to have fruited, a male plant must be nearby. Funny that I've never taken the time to look for it, but I suppose the male plant doesn't have all of the flash the female does. The fruits you see in my hand had fallen from the top of the vine where the rest of the fruit was growing. Missouri calendar:

• Veterans Day

Today in Missouri history:

• Charles Bent was born on this date in 1799. The Missourian became the territorial governor of New Mexico and was killed in the Taos Rebellion on January 18, 1847.

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