PARTRIDGE BERRY 



These t\^in flowers are not only pretty but exceed- 

 ingly interesting. They are noticeably large for the 

 size of the vine, and as they always blossom in pairs 

 they are the more striking. The twin corollas are 

 trumpet-shaped, with four spreading, recurved lobes, 

 whose inner surface is covered with fine, white, cottony 

 hairs that fairly fill the throat of the corolla. The 

 outer surface of the tube is shining and slightly flushed 

 with purple at the tips; the flowers are half an inch 

 long and the tubes often united. The little green 

 calyxes are always united, and together they spring 

 from the tip of a very short peduncle. The flowers 

 are of two sorts: each has four stamens; in one, these 

 are very short and the pistil very long, while in the 

 other the conditions are reversed, the dark-tipped 

 stamens protrude and the pistil is out of sight. 



The fruit is a shining berry with two eye-like open- 

 ings. Altogether the Partridge- Vine is an exquisite 

 creature which confers distinction upon any place 

 where it abides. 



213 



