PASSIFLORACEjE. 145 



This order consists of her- 

 baceous or shrubby plants, Fig.81. 

 usually climbing by tendrils, 

 and having alternate, entire or 

 palmately-lobed leaves, mostly 

 furnished with stipules, and 

 often glandular. The flowers 

 are axillary or terminal, often 

 with a ^-leaved involucre. 

 The species are most abun- 

 dant in the warm regions of 

 America, but are also found in 

 Asia and Africa, and one or 



♦ *u tt -4. j cii. , /- Different species of Passiflora. 



two in the United States as far 



north as Virginia. The fruits of many of them are eatable, especially those of 

 the P. quadrangularis or Granadilla, the P. laurifolia, ccerulea, coccinea, 

 tyc, and are much esteemed in their native countries. In a medical point of 

 view, they are also of some interest, being possessed of active qualities ca- 

 pable of fulfilling a variety of indications ; though it should be noticed that 

 our information in regard to them is far from definite. The only memoir on 

 the subject deserving of notice is that of Dr. Ricord Madiana {Jour, de 

 Pharm. xvii. and Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist, u) on the P. quadrangularis; a 

 decoction of the root of this, he found to be poisonous, acting like a narcotic; 

 he discovered in it a peculiar principle which he calls Passiflorine. Martius 

 states that this root is emetic, but if it possess the powerful narcotic powers 

 spoken of by Dr. Ricord, its use would be dangerous; it may be mentioned 

 that this writer says that a decoction of the Cecropia peltata is an antidote 

 to it. 



The P. contrayerva is said to be alexipharmic and carminative, and ac- 

 cording to Brown, (Hist. Jamaica,) a tincture of the flowers of the P. rubra 

 is used in Jamaica as a substitute for laudanum. The P.faztida and some 

 closely-allied species are esteemed pectoral, and are said by Poupee-Desportes 

 to be antispasmodic and emmenagogue. The leaves of the P. laurifolia are 

 administered in the dose of one or two drachms as a vermifuge in some of 

 the West Indies (Labat. Nouv. Voy.) The fruit of the P. lyrifolia is con- 

 sidered to be cooling and aperient, and is given in fevers, cutaneous affec- 

 tions, &c, whilst a decoction is in some esteem as a diuretic. (Flor. Med. 

 des Antill. iv. 97.) 



Some of the other genera of this order afford edible fruit, among which 

 may be noticed several species of Tacsonia and Par opsia. The Murucuja 

 ocellata, a South American plant, is reputed to be anthelmintic, diaphoretic, 

 and anti-hysteric; it, with some other .species, is highly spoken of by Piso 

 (Bras. 107) for these purposes, and he also 'states that the bruised leaves 

 relieve the pain in hemorrhoids. 



Order 17.— SAMYDACE^.— Lindley. 



Sepals 4-5, more or less coloured, somewhat cohering at base, aestivation imbricate, 

 seldom valvate. Petals wanting. Stamens inserted on the calyx tube, 2-4 times as 

 many as the sepals ; filaments monadelphous, either all bearing anthers, or alternately 

 shorter, villous or ciliated, with alternate, erect, 2-celled anthers. Ovary superior, 

 1-celled. Style single, filiform, with a capitate or slightly-lobed stigma. Capsule coria- 

 ceous, 1-celled, 3-5 valved, many-seeded; valves with an imperfect dehiscence, often 

 somewhat pulpy within and coloured. Seeds adhering to the valves, on the papillose or 



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