PASSIFLORACEa:. 139 BASSIFLORA. 



Sta. — 5, monadelphous, surrounding the stipe of the ovary. 

 Qi-a. — Superior, on a long stipe, 1-celled, Styles 3. 

 Fr. — Stalked, within the calyx, many-seeded. 



Herbaceous plants or shrubs, usually climbing. Leaves alternate^ stipulate. Flowers 

 large and showy, in axillary racemes. Natives of Tropical America, but cultivated in 

 many other countries as ornamental flowers. The fruit of the GranadiUa (Passitlora mul- 

 tiformis) is eaten in the W. Indies, and highly valued as a dessert, but the root is poisonous. 



PASSIFLO'RA. 

 Calvx deeply 5-parted, colored; the throat with a complex 

 crown of filiform rays; petals 5 or 0; fruit a pulpy berry. 



Lat. flos passionis, because the several parts of the flower were supposed 

 to represent the passion of Jesus Christ. The five stamens were compared 

 to his five wounds ; the three styles, to the three nails by which he was fixed 

 to the cross; the column which elevates the ovary, to the cross itself, and 

 the rays of the crown to the crown of thorns. 



1. P. Lu'tea. 



Leaves cordate, 3-lobed, obtuse, smooth ; petioles without glands ; peduncles 

 axillary, in pairs ; petals much narrower than the calyx. Native in Penn. and 

 Vir. to Florida. Stem creeping, a few feet in length. The leaves are said to 

 resemble those of the Hepatica triloba, both in shape and size, being smooth, 

 glaucous and 3-lobed. Flowers with narrow petals, pale yellow. Crown of 

 spreading rays of the same length and color as the petals. Sept. Per. 



Yellow Passion-floicer, 



2. P. c^ru'lia. 



Leaves palmate, 5-parted, entire ; pei/o/es glandular ; involucre 3-leaved, en- 

 tire; threads of corona shorter than the corolla. This is the tallest, most 

 woody, and most admired species of this large and noble genus. Native of 

 Brazil, where it grows to the size of a man's arm, and to the hight ot 30 feet. 

 It is tolerably hardy but requires protection from our frosts. It is cultivated 

 either from cuttings, seeds or layers. The leaves are exceedingly elegant, 

 smooth, glaucous, deeply palmate in 5 entire segments. Flowers blue out- 

 side, purple and white within, and continue but one day. Fruit ovate, yellow. 

 "Among all the beauties which shine in sunny robes," says Hervey in his 

 < Reflections on a Flower Garden' "this, I think, has the noblest import if 

 not the finest appearance. Were they all to pass in review, and expect the 

 award of superiority from my decision, I should not liesitate a moment. While 

 others appoint it a place in the parterre, I would transplant the Passion-flow- 

 er, or rather its sacred signification to my heart. There let it bloom both in 

 Summer and Winter, in the most expressive characters, and with undecaying 

 lustre." Common Passion-Jiuwer. 



3. P. INCARNA'TA. 



Xearts 3-lobed, serrate, lobes oblong, acute; petioles wiih 2 glands; invo- 

 luare 3-leaved ; threads of the corona longer tlian the corolla. This species 

 is a native at the South, and next to the above, is perhaps the most popular 

 in cultivation. The flower is rose color, variegated with purple, sweet-scent- 

 ed. Fruit the size of an apple, orange-colored. Flesh-colored Passion-flower, 



4. P. malifo'rmis. 



Leaves oblong-ovate, cordate, 3-nerved, veiny, entire ; petioles with 2-glands ; 

 involucre 3-leaved, larger than the flower. This is the siceet culabush of the 

 W. Indies. It produces large flowers, red, white and blue, but of short dura- 



