POPULAR FLORA. 



155 



Passion-Flower. Passifldra. 

 Sepals 5, united at the base. Petals 5, aooompaiiied by a crown or ring formed of a double or triple 

 fringe, inserted on the base of the calyx. Stamens 6, raona- 

 delphous; the filaments making a long sheath to the slender 

 stalk of the ovary : this is one-celled and becomes an eata- 

 ble berry, with many seeds in 3 or 4 rows on its walls. The 

 species are mostly South American ; and some large-flowered 

 and handsome ones are cultivated in hot-houses. The early 

 missionaries fancied that they found in these flowers emblems 

 of the implements of our Saviour's passion ; the fringe repre- 

 senting the crown of thorns ; the large anthers fixed by their 

 middle, hammers; and the B styles (tapering below and with 

 large-headed stigmas), the nails. We have two wild species, 



common S. and W. 371. Pimion-Plower No. 1, enlarged. 



1. Small P. Leaves bluntly 3-lobed, otherwise entire; flowers greenish-yellow, 1' wide. P. Uitea. 



2. Maypop p. Leaves 3-cleft, the lobes serrate; flowers 2' broad, white, with a triple flesh-colored 



and purple crown ; fruit like a hen's egg in shape and size. P. incarnata. 



40. CURRANT FAMILY. Order GROSSULACEJS. 



^^ Consists of the Currants 



and Gooseberries, which 

 belong to the same botan- 

 ical genus. Shrubs, with 

 alternate rounded and rar 

 diate-veined leaves ; the 

 tube of the calyx coherent 

 with the one-celled ovary, 

 and continued above it 

 into a cup which is often 

 colored, like a corolla, and 

 bears the 5 little petals and 

 5 stamens. Seeds many, 

 with a pulpy outer coat, 

 borne upon the walls of the 

 berry on two thickened 

 lines (parietal placentas). 



Garden Gooseberry ! 372. with flowers ; 373. with fmit. 374. C'jp of the calyi laid open, bearing the 5 little petals and atameno. 

 375. The pistil. 376. Young berry cut across. 377. Young berry divided lengthwise. 



Gooseberry. Rihes, § Groualaria. 

 Stems generally armed with thorns under the clusters of leaves, and sometimes with scattered 

 prickles. Peduncles bearing single or few flowers. 



