Passiflora vitifolia

Passiflora vitifolia Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. 2: 138. 1817.

Perennial vine, climbing with axillary pubescent unbranched tendrils. Stem angular or terete, pubescent. Leaves alternate, broadly ovate, 9-15 cm x 6-10 cm, palmately 3-shallow or deeply-lobed, lobes ovate or ovate-lanceolate, middle lobe larger, apex acute, margin crenate or serrate, serrations with or without glands, both surfaces pubescent, especially on veins, abaxially densely pubescent, adaxial surface dark green, abaxial light green; petiole 3-5 cm long, tomentose, with 2 sessile cupulate glands at base, especially when leaves young. Stipules free, pubescent, 6-8 mm long, linear-subulate, with few small marginal glands. Flowers solitary axillary, large, ca. 10 cm across, showy, red, slightly fragrant, bisexual, actinomorphic, on 6-7.5 cm long tomentose peduncle. Bracts 3, free, ovate-elliptic, 3.5-3.8 cm x ca. 1.7 cm, puberulous, yellowish-green with red purple veins, margin serrate with glands, glands proximally large and cupulate. Pedicel ca. 4 mm long. Hypanthium cupulate, ca. 1 cm long and 1.5-1.7 cm diameter, 5-lobed, each lobe emarginate. Calyx and corolla at margin of hypanthium. Sepals 5, free, 5-5.5 cm x 1 cm, oblong-lanceolate, adaxially red, abaxially creamish-white or creamish-white and red, with 3 prominent veins, midvein extended into excurrent horn outside, ca. 5 mm long. Petals 5, free, alternate with sepals, oblong-lanceolate, slightly shorter and narrower than sepals, 4.8-5 cm x ca. 0.8 cm, red; sepals and petals reflexed. Corona present at the base of perianth, 4-seriate, outermost purple-red, of free filaments, 1.2-1.5 cm long; middle of free white filaments, ca. 7 mm long; inner white cone-like around androgynophore, ca. 7 mm long, filaments fused in proximal half; innermost series (operculum) membranous, partially fused with hypanthium with white fimbriate margin, incurved over nectar chamber. Stamens 5, raised on ca. 3 cm long androgynophore; filaments spotted red, connate into a tube and adnate to androgynophore, separating below ovary; free part of filaments ca. 1 cm long, versatile, dehiscence by longitudinal slits. Ovary at top of androgynophore, sessile, tricarpellary, syncarpous, puberulent, fusiform, +/- trigonous, ca. 7 mm x 5 mm, unilocular, with parietal placentation, ovules many, anatropous; styles 3, ca. 1 cm long, reddish; stigmas 3, capitate.

^{Fruit a berry, ca. 5 cm x 3 cm, with green flesh speckled with white, slight downy hairs, containing numerous seeds. (Fruit not observed)}

Flowering and Fruiting: Almost throughout the year except winter
Common Names: Perfumed Passion Flower, Grape-leaved Passion Fruit