364 



THE JOURNAL OF BOTANY 



Within the corolla, upon the throat of the calyx, is a showy 

 crown or corona, made of two or three rows of delicate, coloured 

 filaments or fringes. These were taken to represent either the 

 crown of thorns or the halo. The five stamens were symhols 

 either for the five wounds or for the hammers of the executioners. 

 The filaments are monadelphous or separate, subulate or filiform ; 

 anthers narrow and versatile. The three styles (sometimes 1-5) 

 with capitate stigmas symbolized the three nails. The stalk sup- 

 porting the stamens and ovary is the gynophore or gynandrophore, 

 and is a characteristic of the order. The long, simple, axillary, 

 coiling tendrils symbolized the cords or scourges. The digitate 

 leaves suggested the hands of the persecutors. For a full state- 

 ment of this interesting imagery, see Folkard's Plant Lore, Legends, 

 and Lyrics. 



The following excerpts from Paul Knuth's" account of P. ccerulea 

 will indicate the mode of polHnation usual among the Passion- 

 Flo we rs : 



"Protandrous, humble-bee (and humming-bird) flowers; with 

 nectar secreted by a fleshy ring in the base of the calyx, and pro- 

 tected by three nectar-covers {corona — ed.) ... As the nectar- 

 reservoir possesses but one ring-like aperture, visitors must go 

 right round the reservoir to get all the nectar. Larger insects 

 only can effect crossing ; and it is easy for them to go round 

 owing to the larger outer circlet of rays ; they move from ray 

 to ray as if on the spokes of a wheel, thrusting their proboscis 

 as they do so. 



'• In the first stage of anthesis, a large insect (such as a 

 humble-bee) when seeking the nectar, receives pollen on its back 

 from the downwardly dehiscing anthers. In the second stage the 

 styles have curved downwards to such an extent that the now 

 receptive stigmas are lower than the empty anthers. It follows 

 that older flowers are fertilized by pollen from younger ones." 



Fritz MuUer advances the remarkable theory (Herm. Muller, 

 Fertilization, p. 268) that the corona is not for the purpose of 

 keeping out unbidden guests, but for trapping small insects to 

 serve as food for the hummingbirds, in return for which the latter 

 effect pollination. Muller's observations were made in Brazil, the 

 home of numerous Passifloras ; in Hawaii, where there are no 

 humming-birds or their equivalents, the wild vines produce an 

 abundance of fruit. For further data on pollination see the 

 copious account by Masters. 



The fruit of the Passion-Flo wers is oblong or globular ; usually 

 fleshy or berry-like (allied to the cucurbitaceous pepo). It is 

 three-carpeled but one-loculed. The abundant seeds are borne on 

 three to five parietal placentae. Each seed is enveloped in a watery 

 sack or arillus ; it is this part of the fruit which is edible, and 

 possesses distinctive fiavor and aroma. The fruits of a number 

 of species are prized in tropical regions as a flavoring for sherbets ; 

 Water Lemon Sherbet is often served in Honolulu homes. The 

 fruit of the so-called Pumpkin Passion-flower of Brazil — P.macro- 

 * Handbook of Flower Pollination, Oxford, ed. K>OS, ii, 'i'jZ-i. 



