Passifloraceae

Basananthe Peyr.

First published in Bot. Zeitung (Berlin) 17: 101 (1859)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Dry Tropical Africa.

Descriptions

Passifloraceae, W. J. J. O. de Wildem (Rijksherbarium, Leiden). Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1975

Morphology General Habit
Annual or perennial herbs or small climbers, rarely shrubs, glabrous or hairy, with or without tendrils
Morphology Leaves Stipules
False stipules present in some species, developed from the supra-axillary bud Stipules small, linear
Morphology General Tendrils
Tendrils axillary, replacing central flower of cyme, or absent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences axillary, cymose, 1–3-flowered, sessile or peduncled; bracts and bracteoles small, linear, often forming an involucre
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers bisexual (sometimes functionally unisexual), campanulate, greenish
Morphology Leaves
Stipe indistinctly articulate at base to the short pedicel Leaves lobed or not, sessile or petiolate; margin entire or usually dentate with small glandular teeth
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Hypanthium
Hypanthium rather narrow, flattish, rarely shallowly cup-shaped
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 5(–6), oblong to lanceolate, free
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals absent, 1–2 or (4–)5(–6), oblong to lanceolate, obtuse or subobtuse, free, usually smaller than the sepals
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona
Outer corona consisting of a ± barrel-shaped tube bearing a ring of filiform processes (threads), bluish and mostly with a ring of small inward curved teeth Inner corona membranous, cup-shaped, margin entire or lobulate (in B. berberoides from Somalia forming 5 small cups around the bases of the filaments)
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc
Disk low, annular, rarely absent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 5(–6–9); filaments inserted in the upper half inside the inner corona, free; anthers basifixed, ellipsoid to lanceolate, subsagittate, 2-thecous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary ellipsoid, superior, usually sessile, 1-locular, with 3(–4) placentas; styles 3(–4), free or partially united; stigmas globose, small
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a sessile or shortly stiped 3(–4)-valved capsule, ellipsoid; valves coriaceous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 1-few, arillate, ellipsoid to reniform, ± compressed; testa coriaceous, mostly rugose, blackish.
[FTEA]

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Annual or perennial herbs or climbers, or sometimes shrubs or shrublets, with or without tendrils, sometimes armed
Morphology Leaves
Leaves entire or lobed; stipules filiform but conspicuous, leaf-like false stipules sometimes present too
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences axillary, cymose, 1–3-flowered
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers bisexual or sometimes functionally unisexual, campanulate, greenish or whitish
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals absent, 1–2, or (4–)5(–6), free, usually smaller than sepals
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona
Corona divided into outer and inner corona, usually with a low annular disc in between; the outer tubular with a ring of threads, the inner membranous, cup-shaped or forming 5 small cups
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens free; anthers basifixed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Styles 3, free or partially united; stigmas small, globose
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a ± ellipsoid leathery capsule
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 1–few.
Distribution
About 37 species, in eastern, central and southern Africa.
[FSOM]

Passifloraceae, R. & A. Fernandes. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Morphology General Habit
Annual or perennial erect, prostrate or ascending herbs, rarely shrubs, with or without tendrils.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate, entire, serrate or dentate or ± deeply lobed, sessile or petiolate.
Morphology Leaves Stipules
Stipules small, linear; some species provided with false stipules, sometimes foliaceous, developed from supra-axillary buds.
Morphology General Tendrils
Tendrils axillary or absent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a 1–3-flowered sessile or pedunculate cyme, sometimes with a simple tendril or a mucro-like prolongation in place of the terminal flower; bracteoles small, linear; pedicels slender.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers hermaphrodite, small, campanulate, whitish or greenish, stipitate, the stipe indistinctly articulate to the pedicel.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Hypanthium
Hypanthium narrow or shallowly cup-shaped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 5(6), oblong to lanceolate, imbricate, free.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 0 or 1-2 or (4)5(6), oblong to lanceolate, free, narrower and shorter than the sepals.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona
Inner corona shorter than the outer one and represented by a cup-shaped membrane with entire or irregularly lobulate margin. Outer corona inserted at the bottom of the hypanthium, consisting of a barrel-shaped tube crowned with a ring of free threads.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 5(6-9), with the free filaments inserted on the inside of the inner corona; anthers basifixed, subsagittate, 2-locular.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary ellipsoid, ovoid or obovoid, sessile or shortly stipitate, 1-locular; ovules several or few, inserted on 3(4) placentas; styles 3–4, free or connate at the base, each with a capitate stigma.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule ellipsoid, 3(4)-valved.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 1 or few, ellipsoid to reniform, ± compressed, arillate, with a coriaceous, usually rugose, blackish testa; embryo straight with horny endosperm and foliaceous cotyledons.
[FZ]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0