Passiflora edulis Sims

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

Morphology General Habit

Large herbaceous, glabrous (except ovary) perennial climber, up to 15 m.

Morphology Stem

Stems ± terete, striate; internodes up to 9 cm. long.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-lamina up to 13 × 15 cm., 3-lobed to below the middle of the lamina, the lobes 2–4 cm. wide, acute or acuminate, rarely subobtuse, serrate, rounded or shallowly cordate at base, subcoriaceous, pale green or yellow-green, glossy above, paler and not glossy beneath; petiole up to 4 cm. long, with 2 glands at the apex, the glands sessile or shortly stipitate; stipules c. 10 × 1 mm., linear-subulate, entire or minutely glandular-serrulate.

Morphology General Tendrils

Tendrils c. 10 cm. long, stout, simple.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles

Peduncles up to 6 cm. long, stout.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bracts 2–2·5 × 1–1·5 cm., ovate, obtuse or acute at the apex, serrate, pectinate or almost lacerate, often glandular at margin.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers solitary, up to 7 cm. in diam.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 3–3·5 × 1 cm., oblong, horned, green outside, white inside.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 2·5–3 × 0·5–0·7 cm., oblong, obtuse, white.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona

Corona with the filaments in 4 or 5 rows, those of the 2 outer ones 1·5–2·5 cm. long, filiform or narrowly liguliform, crispate towards the apex, white, purple at base, those of the other rows 2–2·5 mm. long, linear or dentiform.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Operculum

Operculum membranous, incurved, entire or shortly fimbriate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Limen

Limen cupuliform, entire or crenulate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary ovoid or globose, sericeo-tomentose or glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 4–5 cm. in diameter, ovoid or globose, yellow, greenish-yellow or purplish.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 5–6 times; 3–4 mm., ovoid, minutely reticulate.

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Nativa y cultivada en Colombia; Alt. 0 - 2000 m.; Amazonia, Andes, Pacífico, Valle del Cauca, Valle del Magdalena.

Morphology General Habit

Trepadora

Conservation

No Evaluada

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

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

Morphology General Habit

Climber to 15 m, glabrous

Morphology Leaves

Leaves deeply 3-lobed, 5–11 cm long; stipules lanceolate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences 1-flowered, pedunculate, with ovate bracts and bracteoles forming an involucre

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 4–7 cm in diam., white

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona

Corona of several series of threads

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit globose to ellipsoid, berry-like with leathery pericarp, yellow or purple.

Distribution

In Somalia at least in S2 frequently cultivated in all tropical regions

Note

There may be more than one cultivated species of Passiflora in Somalia, but specimens are not available.

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

Morphology General Habit

Climber to ± 15 m., perennial, glabrous throughout (except ovary); stem sometimes ± angular.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades 3-lobed up to three-fourths, rarely unlobed, suborbicular to broadly ovate in outline, 5–11 by 6–12 cm., base acute to cordate, 3-nerved from base, subcoriaceous; lobes elliptic to oblong, up to 8 cm., top acute, shortly acuminate; margin serrate; petiole 1–4 cm.

Morphology General Glands

Glands on petiole 2, wart-like, at transition to or up to 0.5 cm. below the blade; blade-glands absent.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules lanceolate-linear, ± 1 cm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences 1-flowered, the straight peduncle (pedicel) 3–6 cm., inserted beside a simple tendril 5–20 cm.; bracts and bracteoles ovate, acute, 1.5–2 cm., glandular-serrate, forming an involucre.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 4–7 cm. in diameter, white, corona threads purplish towards base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Hypanthium

Hypanthium cup-shaped, ± 1 by 1–1.5 cm.; sepals oblong, 2–3 cm., corniculate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals oblong, 1–2.5 cm., obtuse.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona

Corona composed of several series of threads, the outer 2 series 0.5–2.5 cm., the inner ones much shorter; operculum membranous, incurved, crenulate-fimbriate; disk (limen) cupuliform, entire or crenulate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androgynophore

Androgynophore 6–8 mm., thickened towards base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Filaments subsubulate, 6–8 mm.; anthers 8–10 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary subglobose to ellipsoid, 3–5 mm., glabrous or shortly pubescent; styles 10–12 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit berry-like, with coriaceous-leathery pericarp, globose to ellipsoid, excluding the 0.5–1.5 cm. long gynophore 4–5 cm. in diameter, glabrous, yellow or purplish.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds many, ellipsoid, 5–6 mm.

Habitat

Often cultivated for the flavoured fruit and escaped in forest edges, thickets and disturbed places; 0–2500 m.

Distribution

K4 T2 T3 T6 T7 U4 widely cultivated

Use

Edible fruits.