14 FAMILIJIt GAT!J>E?i rLnWETtS. 



specirs. Tlio nidst imtod df all, the ^;i|nai-p-Rtalkefl Primi- 

 //fufii ijiiiii//-i/i/i/////ir/-^, wliieli is often yrown for its edibl-; 

 fruit, is a native i.if the prodiietive island of Jrinaiea. 



The first passion-lfower introiluced to this country was 

 P. /iifan/i//ii, a native of ^'u■giuia, ligured l>y John Par- 

 kinson in his immortal work, the " Paradisus Terres- 

 tris," wherein he desorihi-s it as "the Virginian climor," 

 or "Jesuites ]\[aracoe.'' Parkinson's figuve is a faneifnl 

 travesty of tho fact, and oomes uear to the mystical 

 figure in Hone's " Every-Uay Boole." 



The hlue ])assion-llower, the suhject of the present 

 figure, was introduced ahoul the middle of the seventceulh 

 century, hut the first distinct record we have of it icprc- 

 ser.ts it as cultivated hv the Duchess of Beaufort in IflV'J. 

 It is tho most useful species known, for the suflicient reason 

 that, while it is extremel}- lieauliful, it is finite hardy in 

 this country, and ripens its fruit in ahundauce in the 

 subnrfis of Tjonilon. The fruit is as ornamental as the 

 flower, heing of the colour and size and ncarlv the form 

 of an apricot ; so fhat, -when in autumn it ap]:ears in 

 ])lenty, tln^ heautifnl green herbage of the ]i]aiit seems 

 studded with ripe oranges or eggs of a lirilliant apricot 

 colour. The fruit is edible, hnf is not often eaten, as 

 the addition of wine and sugar is needed to render it 

 agreeable to the palati' ; and then the (piestiou of its 

 wholesomeness remains to he decided. 



The first jiassion-llmver eame to Linnaiais as the " Ffs 

 Passionis," the Ho\\-er of Hie passion, and lhis name he 

 cleverly latinised into Passitlora as thi' name of the o'cuus. 

 But why is this the flower of the passion ? — The conquerors 

 of South America were criiel and rapacious, but they were, 

 according to the uotions of their time, profoundly pious in 



