104 SYLVA FLORIFERA. 



strawberry; but to us it appears more mawkish, 

 and much inferior to either of these fruits. 



The common or blue passion-flower, Passi- 

 fiora coerulea, which is found to thrive in the 

 open air in England, is a native of Brazil, and 

 was cultivated in this country by the Duchess 

 of Beaufort, as long back as 1699, and is far 

 more beautiful than the former variety. This 

 species frequently sends out shoots of from ten 

 to fifteen feet in one summer, and may be 

 trained up more than forty feet high ; and, as 

 it is the most elegant climber known, no 

 pleasure-grounds should be without it, either 

 to cover trellis-work or a wall. It loves a 

 south aspect, and will sometimes flower when 

 permitted to climb trees that stand in warm 

 sheltered situations. In the Brazilian forests 

 these beautiful plants climb to the height of 

 sixty feet, forming festoons from tree to tree, 

 which are spangled with these brilliant stars 

 in the most superb manner. Amongst the 

 most conspicuous of these is the Passiflora 

 racemosa, or bunch-flowered passion-flower. 

 The petals of this species are of a fine crim- 

 son, and the rays of the crown purple, spring- 

 ing from a ring of a dark puce, regularly 

 spotted with white, that has the appearance 

 of a circle of pearls. The converging crown 

 that covers the nectary is of a fine green* 



