154 BOTANY. 



resemblance was seen to the wounds of Christ ; the triple style represented 

 the three nails on the cross ; the central gynophore was the pillar of the 

 cross ; and the filamentous processes, the rays of light around the Savior's 

 head, or the crown of thorns. Some species, as Passifloi*a edulis or 

 Grenadilla, yield a pleasant fruit. 



Order 139. Belvisiace^e, the Belvisia Family. Calyx gamosepalous, 

 persistent, limb divided into five thick ovate segments ; aestivation valvate. 

 Petals inserted in the tube of the calyx, united more or less, and forming 

 three verticils, the innermost of which may be considered as an altered 

 staminal row ; the outer petaline verticil consists of five plaited lobes, each 

 of which is seven-toothed, and has seven feathered ribs ; the second 

 petaline verticil is cut into a number of narrow segments ; while the third 

 is an inconspicuous cup-like ring, with its edge minutely divided. Stamens 

 CO, united at their base so as to be monadelphous, or unequally polyadelphous ; 

 filaments curved inwards ; anthers dithecal, oblong. Ovary surrounded by 

 a fleshy disk, and adherent to the tube of the calyx, five-celled ; ovules two 

 in each cell, attached to a central placenta, nucleus curved ; style five- 

 angled ; stigma broad, flat, pentagonal. Fruit a large, fleshy, rounded berry, 

 crowned by the lobes of the calyx. Seeds large, kidney-shaped ; cotyledons 

 plano-convex ; radicle and plumule immersed in their substance. Shrubs, 

 with alternate, simple, coriaceous, exstipulate leaves ; and axillary flowers 

 often in sets of three. They are tropical, chiefly African. Some of them 

 are used as astringents. Their place in the natural system is not well 

 determined ; some placing the order next Passifloraceae, others near 

 Symplocaceae, and Lindley recognising its affinity to Rhizophoraceae. There 

 are two genera, and four species. Ex. : Belvisia (Napoleona), Asteranthos. 



Order 140. Papayace^e, the Carica Family. Calyx minute, five-toothed. 

 Corolla monopetalous, inserted into the base of the calyx; in the male, 

 tubular and five-lobed ; in the female, divided nearly to the base into five 

 segments. In the section Pangieae the sepals and petals are distinct. 

 Stamens ten, inserted into the throat of the corolla ; anthers bilocular, 

 introrse, innate, dehiscing longitudinally. Ovary free, one-celled ; ovules 

 indefinite, attached to five parietal placentas ; stigma five-lobed, lacerated. 

 Fruit usually succulent and indehiscent, sometimes capsular and dehiscent, 

 one-celled. Seeds <», enveloped in a loose mucous coat, parietal; spermo- 

 derm brittle, pitted; embryo in the axis of fleshy albumen ; cotyledons flat; 

 radicle slender, turned towards the hilum. Trees or shrubs, not branching, 

 >vith alternate lobed leaves, supported on long slender petioles, and with 

 unisexual flowers. They are found in South America and in other warm 

 countries. One of the most important plants of the order is Carica 

 papaya, the Papaw tree, which yields an acrid milky juice, and an edible 

 fruit. The tree is said to have the property of rendering meat tender. The 

 order has been divided into three sections : 1. Cariceae, corolla mono- 

 petalous, fruit succulent and indehiscent. 2. Modecceae, corolla monopetalous, 

 fruit capsular and dehiscent. 3. Pangieae, corolla polypetalous. There are 

 eleven known genera, including twenty-nine species. Examples : Carica, 

 M-odecca, Pangium. 

 154 



