354 '^HE PASSION-FLOWER FAMILY. 



oured inside. Corolla : with five slender petals borne on the throat of the calyx; 

 also on the calyx-throat, a full thread-like fringe called the corona. Filaments: 

 monodelphous below. Anthers : five, attached near the middle. Stjyles : three to 

 four, club-shaped, spreading. Leaves: alternate; with long, pubescent petioles; 

 almost orbicular and thrice deeply lobed; somewhat cordate at their bases; finely 

 serrate ; thin; smooth or slightly pubescent. Stem : climbing by means of lateral 

 tendrils ; smooth. 



So unlike the majority of wild flowers is this one that it seems strange 

 through the south to see it climbing up and down the rail fences bordering 

 fields of corn or those of sorghum, or again embellishing railway embank- 

 ments and winding in and out its fantastic blossoms, long thought to be 

 emblematic of the passion of our Lord. Despite its gorgeous bloom, how- 

 ever, the people in many places regard mostly its leaves and call it " ground 

 ivy," thinking them to resemble those of that vine. They pick them also 

 for the purpose of brewing as tea, and children frequently gather and eat 

 the large fruits which are known as May-pops. 



P. liitea, yellow passion flower, is distinguished by its very small greenish 

 yellow flowers and its obtusely thrice and spreading lobed leaves. 



THE LOOSESTRIFE FAMILY. 



LytJu'cicece. 



Trees, or shrubs, but usually herbs, mostly with opposite leaves and 

 perfect flowers which are solitary or grow i?i axillary clusters. 



SWAflP LOOSESTRIFE. SWAMP WlLLOW=HERB. 



{Plate CXPPP.) 

 Dccodoii verticillatus. 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Loosestrife, Pinkish purple. Scentless. Florida northward July-September. 



and westward. 



Flo^vers : growing in cymes in the axils of the leaves. Calyx: campanulate, 

 five to seven-toothed. Corolla : with slender petals wedge-shaped at the base. 

 Stamens : of different lengths, slender, exserted. Leaves : mostly whorled in 

 threes about the stem ; lanceolate, tapering at the apex and into short petioles at 

 the base; entire, rather thin; paler below than on the upper surface and slightly 

 pubescent. Stem : somewhat woody; angular. 



Perhaps the most interesting of the loosestrife family is this herbaceous 

 or shrub-like plant which seeks its home in water or very wet, muddy 

 places, and where its stems reroot themselves from their tips whenever they 



