Passiflora L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 955 (1753)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is New World, Tropical & Subtropical Asia to SW. Pacific.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
Climbing herbs to large lianas with tendrils, rarely small trees
Morphology Leaves
Leaves entire to deeply lobed; stipules small to large
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences 1–many-flowered, usually with a simple tendril
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers bisexual, 5-merous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Sepals and petals free, mostly similar
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona
Corona simple or with an outer corona consisting of threads
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androgynophore
Androgynophore mostly distinct
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens free or rarely partly united; anthers dorsifixed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Styles 3(–4), free or united at base, reflexed at anthesis; stigmas capitate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit usually indehiscent, ± berry-like, many-seeded.
Distribution
Some 570 species, mainly in America, some in Australasia, African species all introduced.
[FSOM]

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

Note
For generic synonyms see Harms, and Killip, loc. cit.
Morphology General Habit
Mostly perennial climbing herbs to large lianas, rarely (not in Africa) shrubs or trees, glabrous or hairy, provided with tendrils
Morphology Leaves
Leaves mostly alternate, unlobed to deeply lobed, palminerved or pinninerved, petiolate; margin mostly dentate, often with small gland-teeth; petiole with or without glands; blade-glands present or not
Morphology Leaves Stipules
Stipules minute to large
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences sessile or peduncled, 1–many-flowered, with or without a simple tendril, or rarely flowers collected into pseudoracemes; bracts and bracteoles small to large, forming a conspicuous involucre or not
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers hermaphrodite, 5-merous; hypanthium saucer-shaped to cylindrical
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Sepals and petals free, often brightly coloured; petals mostly resembling sepals, membranous, sometimes absent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona
Corona extrastaminal, variously shaped, simple or mostly composed of a usually complicated outer corona consisting of threads, and flat or plicate inner coronas, sometimes with the addition of a nectary ring or annulus
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androgynophore
Androgynophore mostly distinct, 3 mm. or more.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 5(–8), free (or in some Asian species partly connate), in older flowers mostly reflexed; anthers dorsifixed, versatile, elliptic to linear
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Gynophore absent or sometimes up to 7 mm.; ovary globose to fusiform; styles 3(–4), free or connate at base; stigmas capitate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit usually indehiscent, ± baccate, often with coriaceous exocarp, globose, ellipsoid or rarely fusiform, containing many seeds.
[FTEA]

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

Morphology General Habit
Scandent herbs or shrubs usually climbing by tendrils, rarely erect.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate, rarely opposite, entire, lobed or partite; petiole often with glands; stipules 2 or absent, sometimes foliaceous.
Morphology General Tendrils
Tendrils usually solitary in the axils of the leaves, sometimes ending the peduncles, rarely absent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers rather large and handsome, axillary, solitary or in racemes, hermaphrodite, rarely unisexual; peduncles articulate, often 3-bracteate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx-tube patelliform, campanulate or urceolate to tubular. Sepals 4–5, linear-oblong or linear, often coloured inside, sometimes with horns on the back below the apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 4–5 or absent, membranous, ± equal to the sepals but more vividly coloured.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Nectaries
Nectar-ring (inframedian corona) an annular ridge within or below the operculum, sometimes wanting.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona
Limen (basal corona) close to the base of the gynophore, annular or cupuliform, sometimes wanting. Operculum (middle or membranous corona) membranous, flat or plicate, entire, lacerate or filamentose, rarely wanting. Corona (faucial and supramedian corona) of 1 to several series of distinct or ± united filaments, rarely tubular.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 4–5, with the filaments adnate to the gynophore, free at the apex; anthers linear, ovate or oblong, 2-celled, dorsifixed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary oblong or subglobose, borne on a gynophore which is usually elongate, rarely absent; styles 3 or 4, subterminal, cylindrical or clavate; stigmas capitate; ovules numerous, rarely few, attached to 3 rarely 4 placentas.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit dry or pulpy, sometimes an irregularly 3-valved capsule.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds usually numerous, compressed, arillate, with the testa usually scrobiculate and the endosperm fleshy; cotyledons foliaceous.
[FZ]

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology General Habit
Vines with characters as given for the family; receptacle shorter than the rest of the flower; corona prominent and often brightly coloured, its filaments distinct or more or less united
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals and petals 4 or 5, or petals sometimes lacking
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 4 or 5, the filaments joined to the gynophore below, free above
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Styles 3; stigmas capitate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a dry or pulpy berry.
Distribution
A largely American genus of more than 500 species.
Recognition
These are easily recognised by their complicated and rather curious flowers, which to the early Spanish explorers suggested some of the emblems associated with the Crucifixion, hence the Spanish name ‘pasionaria’, the English name ‘passion-flower’, and the Latin term Passiflora.
[Cayman]

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
  • Flora of the Cayman Islands

    • Flora of the Cayman Islands
    • 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.
  • Interactive Key to Seed Plants of Malesia and Indo-China

    • The Malesian Key Group (2010) Interactive Key to Seed Plants of Malesia and Indo-China (Version 2.0, 28 Jul 2010) The Nationaal Herbarium Nederland Leiden and The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
  • 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
  • Neotropikey

    • Milliken, W., Klitgard, B. and Baracat, A. (2009 onwards), Neotropikey - Interactive key and information resources for flowering plants of the Neotropics.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0