Page:Illustrations of Indian Botany, Vol. 2.djvu/86

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ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY. double floral envelopes, that is, a calyx and corolla, thereby, determining its place in the system, solely by the structure of the ovary, leaving the corona, ihe most conspicuous part of the flower, altogether out of their consideration.

In this it appears to me all have erred, for if the above stated axiom is of any value it must be either uniformly acted up to, or altogether discarded, and to say merely that they are processes gives no information. Lindley remarks of them, that they are apparently metamorphosed petals," and afterwards adds. " The nature of the filamentous appendages, or rays as they are called, which proceed from the orifice ot the tube, and of the membranous or fleshy, entire or lobed, flat or plaited, annular processes which lie between the petals and the stamens, is ambiguous. I am disposed to refer them to a peculiar form of petals, rather than to the stamens, for reasons which I have assigned in the Hort. Trans, vol. 6, page 309, for understanding the normal metamorphoses of parts of fructification to be rentri- petal." In this opinion 1 fully coincide as, to me, it appears quite unquestionable that these filamentous or annular processes constitute in reality the corolla of these curious and unique flowers as they occupy the same place in the flower which, in more regular flowers, the corolla does. There is a double series of sepals, in like manner there is do ible series of these processes, at least so it is in P. laurina, the species now before me, the exterior smaller the interior lurger. In further confirmation of this view we find between them and stamens, the regular situation, the torus, but so much produced that after lining the tube of the calyx (the true nectarium of this plant,) it forms a curtain, as it were, embracing the podocarp, by which the communication between the upper and lower portions of the tube is intercepted (see plate ICH, fig. 4). Should this explanation be ad- mitted, we can satisfactorily account for a portion of the structure, not hitherto clearlj made out, and at the same time enable us with strict propriety to retain the order in its present place, among the polypetalous orders.

The above character might then be thus modified : sepals 10 (rarely 8) in a double series, the inner series petaloid, united below into a mure or less elongated tube: corolla perigynous, polypetalous, heteromorphous, composed of numerous filamentous or annular processes ; torus lining the tube of the calyx reflexed at the insertion of the corolla forming a free margin. Stamens, &c.

This structure, shows at once, that in so far as the flower is concerned, we cannot without considerable violence adopt the opinion above quoted, that the passion flower is little else than an inferior flowered Cucurbkticea, no Cucurbitnceouft, plant having such a complex flower, still less can we adopt this opinion on a comparison of the fruit, which, as stated under Ca urbilaceae, are most widely different. Had the ovary and fruit been similar in the two orders, I should not have hesitated in adopting that view, but cannot, while I find such obvious differences in both flowers and fruit. The nearest relation of this order is, as already stated, Papayncrae which, so far as I can judge from figures and descriptions, is even more nearly allied than either Loaseae or Malisherbiaceae, though the latter is united as a section of it by DeCandolle.

As already stated America is the head quarters of this family, but they extend thence to Asia, Africa and the tropical parts of Australia, none to Europe. In South America and the West Indies they abound, climbing from tree to tree and filling the woods with their beautiful and singular flowers. Of the genus Passiflora we have have certainly 2 species in India, P. Leschenaultii from the Neilgherries, Pulneys and Shevaroy hills and P. nepalensis from Nepaul ; a third is P. Moluccana found in the Straights of Malacca. The one I have figured as a new species was so named at:d the impression printed before I had an opportunity of examining good specimens, I have since met with it in the garden of the Horticultural Society of Mysore, or, one so accurately corresponding with the figure that I have no doubt of its being the same, and that, from the character, I consider either P. minima, or P. suberosa, species, judging from characters only, scarcely distinct .'f rpally distinct from both those indicated. and it prove a native of Ceylon, I should then infer it formed the bases of Gaertner's genus Vareca, the fruit of which as represented by him agrees very well with dried specimens of this species, when gathered before q be rine.

The genus Modecca, is principally of Asiatic and African origin, one is from Autralia. but none has yet been observed in America. The species however appear to be more numerous in Java than India, half of those described being from that Island.