Passiflora rubra
Diagnostic description 4
Passiflora rubra L., Sp. Pl. 956. 1753.
Herbaceous vine, that climbs by means of axillary tendrils and attains 2-5 m in length. Stems angular, almost triangular, pilose, striate, attaining 5 mm wide, with many lateral branches. Leaves alternate, simple, bilobate or less frequently with a third lobe in a central position, 4-12 × 4-12 cm, chartaceous, pubescent, with three main veins that are borne from the base, the lobes acute, divergent, mucronate, the base cordiform, the margins entire; lower surface with the veins prominent, with a reddish tonality; petioles 2-4 cm long, pubescent, with a reddish tonality, without glands; stipules subulate, pubescent, ca. 5 mm long; tendrils simple, pubescent, up to 20 cm long. Flowers axillary, solitary or in pairs; pedicels pubescent, 3-5 cm long. Sepals oblong, 1.3-2.5 cm long, pilose and green on the outer surface, white on the inner surface; petals linear, whitish, 0.9-1.5 cm long; corona biseriate, the outer segments filiform, 1-1.3 cm long, pink to purple, the inner ones minute; gynophore cylindrical, 0.6-1 cm long; stamens 5, greenish; ovary ellipsoid-globose, green, hirsute, the styles reflexed, the stigmas capitate. Fruit a fleshy capsule, tardily dehiscent, up to 2 cm in diameter, ellipsoid or ovoid, red or red-pink, pilose, with 8 longitudinal ribs. Seeds numerous, elliptical, 3-4 mm long, transversely sulcate, covered by a white aril.
Phenology: Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.
Status: Native, very common.
Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 103; 285; 905; 2438; 4052; 9375; Axelrod, F. 5246; 5812; Britton, N.L. 824; Goll, G.P. 250; 303; 374; Heller, A.A. Shafer, J.A. 2987; Sintenis, P. 341; 2804; 6017; Stevenson, J.A. 153; Underwood, L.M. 362.
Distribution 5
Distribution: In disturbed areas, at lower to middle elevations. Also on Vieques, St. Croix, St. John, St. Thomas, Tortola, and throughout tropical America.
Public Forests: Carite, El Yunque, Maricao, Río Abajo, and Susúa.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Hans Hillewaert, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Passiflora_rubra.jpg/460px-Passiflora_rubra.jpg
- (c) Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://collections.nmnh.si.edu/services/media.php?env=botany&irn=10351781
- (c) Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://collections.nmnh.si.edu/services/media.php?env=botany&irn=10351782
- (c) Pedro Acevedo-Rodríguez, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/28435468
- (c) Pedro Acevedo-Rodríguez, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/28435917
More Info
- iNat taxon page
- Biodiversity Heritage Library
- BOLD Systems BIN search
- eFloras.org
- Flora of North America (beta)
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
- HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
- IPNI (with links to POWO, WFO, and BHL)
- Las especies del Género Passiflora cultivadas en España
- NatureServe Explorer 2.0
- SEINet Symbiota portals
- Tropicos
- World Flora Online
