154 BOTANY. 
resemblance was seen to the wounds of Christ; the triple style represented 
the three nails on the cross; the central gynophore was the pillar of the 
cross; and the filamentous processes, the rays of light around the Savior’s 
head, or the crown of thorns. Some species, as Passiflora edulis or 
Grenadilla, yield a pleasant fruit. 
Orver 139. Bexvisiacea#, the Belvisia Family. Calyx gamosepalous, 
persistent, limb divided into five thick ovate segments; estivation valvate. 
Petals inserted in the tube of the calyx, united more or less, and forming 
three verticils, the innermost of which may be considered as an altered 
staminal row; the outer petaline verticil consists of five plaited lobes, each 
of which is seven-toothed, and has seven feathered ribs; the second 
petaline verticil is cut into a number of narrow segments; while the third. 
is an inconspicuous cup-like ring, with its edge minutely divided. Stamens 
©, united at their base so as to be monadelphous, or unequally polyadelphous ; 
filaments curved inwards ; anthers dithecal, oblong. Ovary surrounded by 
a fleshy disk, and adherent to the tube of the calyx, five-celled; ovules two 
in each cell, attached to a central placenta, nucleus curved; style five- 
angled; stigma broad, flat, pentagonal. Fruit a large, fleshy, rounded berry, 
crowned by the lobes of the calyx. Seeds large, kidney-shaped ; cotyledons 
plano-convex ; radicle and plumule immersed in their substance. Shrubs, 
with alternate, simple, coriaceous, exstipulate leaves ; and axillary flowers 
often in sets of three. They are tropical, chiefly African. Some of them > 
are used as astringents. Their place in the natural system is not well 
determined; some placing the order next Passifloracee, others near 
Symplocacee, and Lindley recognising its affinity to Rhizophoraceze. There 
are two genera, and four species. Ex.: Belvisia (Napoleona), Asteranthos. 
Orver 140. Papayaces, the Carica Family. Calyx minute, five-toothed. 
Corolla monopetalous, inserted into the base of the calyx; in the male, 
tubular and five-lobed; in the female, divided nearly to the base into five 
segments. In the section Pangiee the sepals and petals are distinct. 
Stamens ten, inserted into the throat of the corolla; anthers bilocular, 
introrse, innate, dehiscing longitudinally. ' Ovary free, one-celled ; ovules 
indefinite, attached to five parietal placentas; stigma five-lobed, lacerated. 
Fruit usually succulent and indehiscent, sometimes capsular and dehiscent, 
-one-celled. Seeds ~, enveloped in a loose mucous coat, parietal; spermo- 
derm brittle, pitted; embryo in the axis of fleshy albumen ; cotyledons flat ; 
radicle slender, turned towards the hilum. Trees or shrubs, not branching, 
with alternate lobed leaves, supported on long slender petioles, and with 
unisexual flowers. They are found in South America and in other warm 
countries. One of the most important plants of the order is Carica 
papaya, the Papaw tree, which yields an acrid milky juice, and an edible 
fruit. The tree is said to have the property of rendering meat tender. The 
order has been divided into three sections: 1. Carices, corolla mono- 
petalous, fruit succulent and indehiscent. 2. Modeccez, corolla monopetalous, 
fruit capsular and dehiscent. 3. Pangiez, corolla polypetalous. There are 
eleven known genera, including twenty-nine species. Examples: Carica, 
Modecca, Pangium. 
154 
