THE STRUCTURE OF CERTAIN NEW HYBRIDS. 157 
an indication of the state of mattersin mid-season, investigation of the 
ovaries of fifteen flowers, on June 15, 1899, showed that six were normal, 
three had rudimentary structures, two had blue filaments, and four had 
miniature pistils; that is, nine exhibited prolification and six did not. 
On June 28, eight flowers, and on July 7, eighteen flowers, were studied, 
and all found to be normal; on July 8, however, twenty, and on Sept. 4, 
sixteen, were examined, and of these one and two respectively were 
abnormal. 
The latter observations show that the abnormality may not entirely 
disappear as the season advances. It is very obvious that the develop- 
ment of the monstrosities described is intimately associated with the 
vegetative vigour of the plant. 
Opportunity was not afforded of noting their presence or absence in 
the majority of the flowers experimented with; but looking to the fact 
that after a certain date the flowers were mostly normal (that is, did not 
show ovarian peculiarities), and taking into account a number of observa- 
tions actually made on ovaries which failed to swell after pollination, it is 
safe to surmise that fertilisation of the hybrid by any of the Passion- 
flowers mentioned, except P. cerulea and P. Constance Elliot, is unlikely 
to happen under any circumstances. 
PASSIFLORA ALBA. 
This species being a parent of the three hybrids yet to be described, 
it is necessary to give a detailed account of its structure. 
P. alba is an extremely rampant-growing species. The vegetative 
organs present a characteristic light glaucous green colour. 
The young stems and branches are cylindrical, very smooth, coated 
with glaucous bloom, and either partially or quite filled with pure white 
pith. 
The stipules (fig. 68) are very large, examples 24 in. long and 1} in. 
broad being met with. They are foliaceous, soft, obliquely lanceolate, 
auricled, apiculate, recurved, with distinct mid-rib, but no radiating minor 
veins. The apex bears a mucro |; in. long, terminated by a gland. The 
auricles overlap and embrace the stem. 
The leaf-stalks (fig. 71) are almost cylindrical towards the base, 
and very slightly flattened in the distal part. They may in large 
leaves attain the length of 31 in., or a little more. The glands are very 
irregularly disposed. Four is the common number, and they are usually 
placed in the basal half of the petiole, and well up on the upper side ; 
seldom in opposite pairs, but most commonly alternating irregularly ; 
often only three, occasionally six. The stalk of the gland is bluish, 
curved, and about ,!, in. long; the gland green. 
The leaf-blade is trilobed, the texture soft, thin, the largest measuring 
6 in. long and 6} in. broad ; a good average size, however, is considerably 
smaller. Single notches, sometimes two, with glands, occur between the 
lobes a short distance from their base. The leaves when bruised emit a 
very unpleasant odour. 
The peduncle is 2 to 24 in. long; fine, cylindrical, thickening out- 
