334 Marvel of Peru. 



jointed stems which perish at the first attack of frost, and broad 

 opposite Leaves with netted veins. Its flowers appear in com- 

 pact clusters, and are each surrounded at the base by a green 

 involucre, divided into five segments, so as to resemble a 

 calyx, for which it would certainly be mistaken, did it not 

 sometimes bear two flowers within the same involucre ; a kind 

 of structure that is never found in a true calyx. 



Each flower consists — firstly, of a funnel shaped calyx, divi- 

 ded at the end into five orange and red plaited lobes, and 

 contracted at the base into a roundish fleshy ball ; secondly, 

 of five stamens of unequal lengths, arising from below the 

 ovary, round which they form a fleshy cup, and then adhering 

 to the sides of the calyx ; so that they are actually ferigynous 

 and hypogynous at the same time. The ovary is a superior 

 body containing a single ovule, which grows from the bottom 

 of the cavity ; it is terminated by a long thread-shaped style, 

 which ends in a cluster of little round warts, forming a stigma. 

 As soon as the flower begins to fade, the roundish fleshy ball at 

 the bottom of the calyx, swells and grows harder, contracting 

 at the top, and in time throwing off the thin and colored part. At 

 last it acquires a woody texture — shrivels round the veins and 

 becomes an oblong brown nut, with a little hole at its point, 

 where the upper colored part of the calyx fell off. On exam- 

 ining it the fruit will be found with a very thin shell, and the 

 remains of the style at the top. Within it lies a single seed, 

 having an embryo rolled round a quantity of mealy substance 

 which is the albumen. Such is the character of the natural 

 order that contains the Marvel of Peru, which is by far the 

 most handsome genus it comprehends. 



Generally, the order consists of obscure weeds which are 

 rarely seen in gardens, although they are common enough in 

 tropical countries. The singular circumstance of the lower 

 part of the calyx becoming hardened and forming a sort or 

 spurious shell to the fruit, is generally considered the essential 

 character of the tribe ; which, in this case, affords a striking 

 instance of the highly colored condition often assumed by 

 the calyx, and of the singular manner in which one part is 

 occasionally employed by nature to perform the office of 

 another. 



