206 Passiflorece Passiflora. 



and indehiscent, and usually stipitate. About 250 species and 

 20 genera are comprised in this order. They are usually very 

 showy, but unfortunately nearly all are natives of the tropics. 



1. PASSIFL5RA. 



Distinguished from the neighbouring genera by the short 

 calyx-tube and the three often recurved styles. Passion-flower 

 is simply a translation of the technical name, which was given 

 on account of a fancied resemblance in the parts of the flower 

 to the instruments of Christ's suffering. 



1. P. ccerulea (fig. 112). The only hardy species, and even 

 this requires the protection of a wall and covering in very 

 severe weather. The petals vary in colour from white to pale 

 blue and rosy-red, and the fringed corona and centre of the 

 flower is differently coloured in different varieties. It frequently 

 ripens its fruit in this country. This is . about the size and 

 shape of a small hen's egg, changing from green to orange, and 

 ultimately scarlet. The flowers are produced very freely, espe- 

 cially in the neighbourhood of the sea. It is a native of Brazil. 



OEDER L. CUCURBITACE^E. 



Scandent or prostrate herbs, annual, or often with a large 

 fleshy perennial rhizome, rarely shrubby. Leaves alternate, 

 simple, lobed, or palmately or pedately partite. Tendrils (when 

 present) lateral, solitary, simple or branched. Flowers monoe- 

 cious or dioecious, white or yellow, rarely blue or red. Petals 

 variable, often confluent with the calyx. Stamens commonly 3 ; 

 anthers extrorse, often sinuate. Fruit inferior, usually fleshy, 

 often large, very variable in form, sometimes brilliantly 

 coloured ; seeds variable, destitute of albumen. The plants 

 belonging to this order are mainly from tropical regions, espe- 

 cially the more ornamental ones. Of the 500 species known, 

 a few are notable for their ornamental fruits, and some, like 

 the Melon and Cucumber, are valuable for food. We have one 

 native species, the Eed Bryony, Bryonia dioica. It has annual 

 climbing sterns, which are produced from a large tuberous root 

 or rhizome. Its elegantly lobed leaves and red berries are 

 familiar in the south. Cucurbita Pepo furnishes some of the 

 handsomest of the annual ornamental gourds. In the form and 

 colour of the fruit it is one of the most variable plants in culti- 



