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as well as in Smeatlvmanma, Disemma, and 

 other closely allied genera, may be com- 

 pared with the united tubular stamens of 

 Meha, &c, or with the erownof Narcissus, 

 or the united filaments of Pancratium. The 

 peculiar arrangement of the filaments of 

 the corona in Paropsia may also be cited 

 in favour of this notion ; in this latter 

 genus the rays are collected into five par- 

 cels, calling to mind the polyadelphous sta- 

 mens of Hypericum, or the glands of Par- 

 nassia. The varying relative position of 

 the styles and stamens at different times 

 is a point to which Dr. Dresser has called 

 attention, and which had been strangely 

 overlooked. These differences in position 

 seem due to the process of fertilisation, 

 which of course demands the contact of 

 the pollen with the stigma ; hence we see 

 in these flowers a difference in the relative 

 position of the stamens and styles before, 

 during, and after fertilisation. 



Many of the species have edible fruits; 

 such are P. ftlamentosa, P. pallida, P. lutea, 

 P. malifornus, P. coccinea, P. laurifoha (the 

 Water Lemon of the West Indies), P.edulis, 

 P. alata, P. Buonapartea, P. incarnata, P. 

 serrata, P. maliformis (the Sweet Calabash 

 of the "West Indies), P. ligulans, P. ornata, 

 P. tinifdia, P. ccerulea, and P. quadrangu- 

 laris (the Granadilla). The part that is eaten 

 is either the fleshy aril attached to the 

 seeds, or the juicy pulp in which the latter 

 are imbedded. This pulp has an agreeably 

 cool taste in some species, and a sweet 

 mawkish flavour in others. In the West- 

 Indies the pulp is sucked through a hole 

 in the rind. Fruits of the Granadilla and 

 some other of the edible species are com- 

 monly seen in the Paris markets, and occa- 

 sionally in Covent Garden, as they not un- 

 frequently ripen in this country. 



Although so many of the species furnish 

 edible fruits, they are nevertheless not de- 

 void of suspicious qualities in other or- 

 gans. Thus the root of P. quaclrangularis is 

 stated to possess powerful narcotic proper- 

 ties, and to be used in the Mauritius as a 

 diuretic and emetic; the roots of P.con- 

 trayerva and P. normalis are considered as 

 antidotes to poison, and the flowers of P. 

 rubra are stated to be used in the form of 

 a tincture, for their narcotic effects, in the 

 West Indies. P fcetida has a reputation 

 as an expectorant, and as a remedy in hys- 

 teria and female complaints ; its leaves are 

 also employed for poultices in inflammatory 

 affections of the skin. The bitter and as- 

 tringent leaves of P. laurifoha are used as 

 anthelmintics, while those of some other 

 species are mentioned as being employed 

 in intermittent fevers. 



A great number of species are cultivated 

 in this country for the beauty of their 

 foliage and flowers, or for their fruits. 

 Several have already been mentioned; other 

 valuable kinds have been produced by hy- 

 bridisation. The flowers of some have ex- 

 quisite fragrance. For ornamental pur- 

 poses P. alato-coerulea, P. Icermesina Lemi- 

 \ r.hezmna,P. Loudmn, and P. Buonapartea are 

 j deservingespecial notice in a genus almost 

 I' all the species of which merit cultivation 



for some reason or other. P. ccerulea and 

 some of its varieties and hybrids are hardy, 

 and even produce their fruit in sheltered 

 situations in our climate. [M. T. M.] 



PASSION-FLOWER. Passiflora. 



PASSIONS. Rumex Patientia. 



PASSIONWORTS. Lindley's name for 

 the Passifloracece. 



PASTEL. (Fr.) Isatis. The same term 

 is applied to the colouring matter obtained 

 from Isatis tinctoria. 



PASTEQUE. (Fr.) Citrullus vulgaris. 



PASTINACA. A genus of umbelliferous 

 plants, consisting of only two or three spe- 

 cies, of which the most important is the 

 Common Parsnip, a well-known culinary 

 vegetable. The genus is distinguished 

 by having its fruit flattened from front to 

 back, as in Heracleum, from which it 

 differs in having the flowers small and 

 yellow, and the vittas more slender and 

 descending down nearly to the base of the 

 fruit. The species are chiefly from the 

 Mediterranean region and West Central 

 Asia. 



The Common Parsnip, P. sativa, is a bi- 

 ennial indigenous to Britain, and usually 

 found by roadsides where the soil is deep 

 and calcareous. In its wild state the 

 leaves are downy underneath, and the 

 root small and hard ; but the cultivated 

 plant has large pinnated leaves of a rich 

 green colour, with oval toothed leaflets. 

 The flower-stem attains the height of 

 three or four feet, and bears a number of 

 yellow flowers disposed in large terminal 

 umbels. The root is white or cream-co- 

 loured, mild, sweet, and aromatic. In the 

 Channel Islands, where Parsnips are grown 

 to great perfection, the roots are often 

 eighteen inches long, and from four to five 

 inches in diameter. 



As an esculent, Parsnips are known to 

 have been used from a very early period. 

 According to Pliny, they were held in such 

 repute by the Emperor Tiberius, that he 

 had them annually brought to Rome from 

 the banks of the Rhine, where they were 

 then successfully cultivated. They are in 

 great request by Roman Catholics during 

 Lent, and are dressed in various ways, and 

 eaten with salt-fish. They have been lately 

 recommended as a substitute for the po- 

 tato, but, although they contain a large 

 portion of nutritive matter, they have been 

 found on analysis to be inferior to potatos 

 as an article of diet— the latter (according 

 to Dr. Lankester) having nearly twice the 

 amount of flesh-forming matter in their 

 composition. Notwithstanding this result, 

 we entertain a high opinion of this vege- 

 table, and when thoroughly boiled, and 

 mashed with butter, it makes an excellent 

 dish, which is generally much esteemed. 



In Holland Parsnips are used in soups, 

 whilst in Ireland cottagers make a sort of 

 beer by mashing the roots and boiling them 

 with water and hops, and afterwards fer- 

 menting the liquor. A kind of marmalade 

 preserve has also been made from them; 



