By Joseph Sabine, Esq. 



107 



the main stem, which rises from the pit to the glass, and a few 

 pieces (about two or three feet of each) of the old branches, 

 should be retained : for all that is to be trained under the 

 glass to bear, in each year, ought to be the growth of the same 

 season. It is found that the shoots break better, and in 

 greater quantity, from the older wood than from that of two 

 years standing. In this dormant and reduced state it is to 

 be kept, during January and February, after which the neces- 

 sary heat may be applied, to cause it to resume its functions, 

 for the ensuing season. 



It will be observed, that I have not given any name to this 

 plant, except that of the Purple-fruited Passion Flower ; my 

 opinion being, that, hitherto, it has not received a specific 

 denomination. It is now called, in the nurseries, Passiflora 

 incarnata : but the P. incarnata of Linnaeus is, without 

 doubt, a perfectly distinct plant, though, in some points of 

 character, resembling ours ; which resemblance has induced 

 the author of the Botanical Register, who, at page 152 of his 

 work, has published a figure, and some account of it, to de- 

 scribe it as a variety of P. incarnata, making that, which I 

 consider as the true P. incarnata of Linn^us, the variety «, 

 and the plant I am now treating of, the variety /3. There 

 are, however, circumstances and characters, which, in my 

 estimation, ought to be considered as sufficient to separate 

 them, and to justify any botanist, who may hereafter under- 

 take the task, in describing the latter as a distinct species. 

 To the eye of an ordinary observer, there is very little simi- 

 larity between the two plants. 



Before I notice the points of difference in the two plants 

 aUuded to, it will be necessary to give some account of that 

 which I consider as the true P. incarnata. It is a native of 



