416 



MEMOIRS OF THE XEW 



YORK BOTAXIC.\L GARDEX 



in many instances, closely similar to those of the several North 

 American species previously mentioned, and it is apparent that 

 certain closely similar foliar types of the genus have persisted 

 from early Tertiary into the present time, and that specific dif- 

 ferentiation and identification would be possible only in connec- 

 tion with well-preserved specimens, in which the critical distin- 

 guishing characters might be clearly visible. 



Order PARIETALES 



Family Passifloraceae 



Genus Passiflora Linnaeus 

 Passiflora canadensis n. sp. 



Plate 37, figure 2 



Leaf trilobate, approximately 3 to 4 centimeters in length by 

 about the same in maximum width, wedge-shaped below, termi- 

 nating in a narrow truncate-cordate base ; lateral lobes relatively 

 narrow ; median lobe expanded toAvard the middle ; sinuses deep 

 and rounded; margin finely serrate-dentate; nervation 3-pal- 

 mate, each lateral primary extending into one of the lateral 

 lobes; secondary nerves irregularly spaced and disposed, 

 branched toward the extremities, each main nerve and branch 

 terminating in one of the marginal dentitions. 



This is not a satisfactory specimen upon which to base a spe- 

 cific description or even a generic identification ; but its general 

 characters are too conspicuous and obvious to be ignored, and 

 these are sufficiently well defined to indicate relationship with 

 the genus Passiflora, and to enable tentative comparison to be 

 made with certain of the leaf forms of the existing P. incarnata 

 Linnaeus, the common red passion flower of the southern 

 United States (see TEXT-FiorRE 1, introduced for comparison). 



This is about as polyphyllous a genus as almost any one that 

 could be named, and the leaves in a single species, and even on 

 an individual plant, are often of most diverse forms, so that, as 

 in connection with leaves of the !Menispermaceae, a large number 

 of comparisons are necessary in order to determine where the 

 greatest similarity may be found between fossil and existing 

 forms. 



