72 Transactions Tennessee Academy of Science 



The Passion Fruit. 



We have just about fifty species of the passion flower (Passi- 

 flora) growing in America, but in Tennessee the most common is 

 the passiflora incarnata, the fruit of which is called by natives May- 

 pops or apricots. The passion fruit is another plant of rapid growth, 

 and very productive. In Australia it has already entered into the 

 channels of commerce, but with us it is left still to ramble over old 

 fences, brush piles, and to add cheer to our many neglected fields. 

 For years, though, this fruit has been used by a few Tennesse- 

 ans for making jellies and a few other household dainties. The 

 passion fruit has many valuable qualities, and, like the fig, ripe fruit 

 and blooms may be found simultaneously on the same plant. When 

 the fruit ripens the pulp becomes shriveled and flabby and is at this 

 time quite aromatic. It off^ers two ways of propagation, either by 

 seeds or by cuttings. 



The Apios Tubercsa. 



My attention was first directed to the apios tuberosa by Mr. Luther 

 Burbank, three years ago, when I had invited him to visit me in Chat- 

 tanooga. In his acknowledgment of my invitation, he stated that 

 he was quite anxious to come, for he wanted very much to find the 

 apios tuberosa, a very rare plant, we had growing here in abundance. 

 Upon receipt of this letter, I immediately laid my plans to capture 

 a few of these Indian potatoes or ground nuts as they are sometimes 

 called. As I was depending on the blossoms to be my guide in lo- 

 cating it, I found they did not bloom until August and September. 

 In vain I searched moist places for three years; the nearest thing 

 like it I could find was the wild or hog peanut. But my eff^orts in 

 August, 1916, were rewarded with success. At that time the speci- 

 mens I found were growing in a moist meadow near a brook. The 

 tubers were very soft, nutty, and rich. The apios undoubtedly pro- 

 duces one of the most beautiful flowers, being of a maroon and pale 

 brown lihic color. The plant climbs and twines about weeds and 

 bushes. The apios tuberosa is not a fruit, but rather than neglect 

 mentioning it as one of the promising wild plants for the possibili- 

 ties it holds for the development of its luliers, 1 have stepped beyond 

 the subject assigned me today in order to here make mention of it. 



