Passiflora caerulea
Template:Short description Template:Speciesbox
Passiflora caerulea, the blue passionflower,<ref name=BSBI07>Template:BSBI 2007</ref> bluecrown passionflower<ref>Template:PLANTS</ref> or common passion flower, is a species of flowering plant native to South America. It has been introduced elsewhere. It is a vigorous, deciduous or semi-evergreen tendril bearing vine growing to Template:Cvt or more. Its leaves are palmately lobed, and its fragrant flowers are blue-white with a prominent fringe of coronal filaments in bands of blue, white, yellow, and brown. The ovoid orange fruit, growing to Template:Cvt, is edible, but is variously described as having a bland,<ref name=RHSAZ>Template:Cite book</ref> undesirable,<ref name="cabi"/> or insipid taste.<ref name="tetraphyllin b"/> In South America, the plant is known for its medicinal properties, and is used by both the Toba and the Maka peoples.<ref name="cabi"/><ref name="mendiondo"/>
EtymologyEdit
The specific epithet caerulea means "qara and refers to the blue colonial filaments.<ref name=RHSLG>Template:Cite book</ref>
DescriptionEdit
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Vegetative characteristicsEdit
Passiflora caerulea is a woody vine capable of growing to Template:Convert high where supporting trees are available.<ref name = "keys">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The leaves are alternate, palmately five-lobed (sometimes three, seven, or nine lobes), and are up to Template:Convert in length while being linear-oblong shaped.<ref name = "PIER">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The base of each leaf has a flagellate-twining tendril Template:Convert long, which twines around supporting vegetation to hold the plant up.<ref name = "keys"/>
Generative characteristicsEdit
The flower is complex, about Template:Convert in diameter,<ref name = "PIER"/> with the five sepals and petals similar in appearance, whitish in colour, surmounted by a corona of blue or violet filaments, then five greenish-yellow stamens and three purple stigmas.<ref name = "keys"/> The fruit is an oval orange-yellow berry, Template:Convert long by Template:Convert in diameter, containing numerous seeds.<ref name = "keys"/> It is edible to humans when ripe, but tends to have an undesirable flavour<ref name="cabi">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> unless allowed to fully ripen in a warm climate and fall naturally from the vine, when it has a mild blackberry flavour, though with a lower sugar content than commonly eaten species.
CultivationEdit
Passiflora caerulea is widely cultivated as a wall-climber or as groundcover. Though hardy down to Template:Cvt, it requires a sheltered position facing south or west (in the Northern Hemisphere). It can become invasive, the twining shoots constantly appearing unless eradicated. It is the only Passiflora species which volunteers in California. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
CultivarsEdit
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A number of cultivars have been produced from the species:
- 'Chinensis' (corona filaments paler blue)
- 'Constance Elliott' was raised by Kucombe and Prince in Exeter, Great Britain. It has pure white, fragrant flowers; not as free-flowering as many other clones. It has also won the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.<ref name = RHSPF>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- 'Pierre Pomie', a pale pink flower form
Chemical constituentsEdit
Compared to Passiflora incarnata, this plant contains higher amounts of the MAO-inhibitor harmine.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
UsesEdit
Though the fruit is edible, it is rather insipid when eaten raw. A tea can be made of the flower or leaves; however, tetraphyllin B and epi-tetraphyllin B, cyanogenic glycosides which liberate hydrogen cyanide when activated by enzymes, have been found in the leaves. It is possible to boil away most of the cyanide.<ref name="tetraphyllin b">DS Seiglera, KC Spencera, WS Statlerb, EE Connb, JE Dunnb, 'Tetraphyllin B and epitetraphyillin B sulphates: Novel cyanogenic glucosides from Passiflora caerulea and P. alato-caerulea', Phytochemistry, 21/9 (1982), 2277-2285.</ref>
In South America, the plant is known for its medicinal uses. It is used in both herbal tea and dietary supplements, as well as in marmalades, ice creams, syrups and beverages.<ref name="cabi"/><ref name="mendiondo">Template:Cite journal</ref> It is also used by the indigenous Argentinian Toba and Maka people.
Passiflora caerulea is sometimes used as a rootstock, to which is grafted a scion of the edible Passiflora edulis.<ref name="nelliekelly-passionfruit">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The passion flower is the national flower of Paraguay. Its intricate structure has generated Christian symbolism, each part representing a different part of the Passion of Christ. The "Etymology and names" section of Passiflora contains more information about this symbolism.
GalleryEdit
- Fleur de jardin.JPG
Flower
- Passiflora caerulea (2005 10 08) - vrucht.jpg
Fruit
- South Central Farm 45.jpg
Flower of Passiflora caerulea
- Passiflora caerulea 'Constance Elliot'.jpg
'Constance Elliot', a white flowered cultivar
- Passiflora "Pierre Pomié".jpg
'Pierre Pomie', a pale pink flowered cultivar
- Passiflora-caerulea 2019-06-23 (DSC2447-1).jpg
Peculiarity: two fused filaments force anthers upwards, displaying pollen beds otherwise not visible from this perspective.
- Passiflora caerulea -Passiflore bleue-Fleurs-20210705.jpg
Passiflora caerulea flower
- Passiflora caerulea seeds.jpg
The seeds of P. caerulea, the red gel-like substance around them removed
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
Template:Passiflora Template:Taxonbar Template:Authority control