Passiflora serratodigitata

Description

A creeping vine. It can be 15-20 m long. The leaves are divided like fingers on a hand. There are 5-7 lobes. The lobes are oblong or sword shaped. The leaves are 15 cm long. The flowers are 6-8 cm across. They hang down and have a scent. The fruit are round and 4-5 cm across. The seeds are 6 mm long.

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw, made into drinks, desserts etc. The pulp surrounding the seeds is eaten. A sweet flavour. The white, sweet pulp is said to have a flavour like a guava (Psidium guajava). The greenish-yellow to yellow, widely ovoid fruit is 5 - 9cm long and 4 - 6cm in diameter. The thin-skinned fruit remains green even when it is fully ripe.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten fresh.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

The leaves and roots of some, if not all, members of this genus contain a substance called 'passiflorina' which has similaritiesr to morphine and is an effective tranquilizer. We have no specific information for this species but many species are used in herbal infusions to calm the nerves and help bring about a restful sleep. The leaves of many species are also considered to be anthelmintic, antihysteric and diaphoretic. They are used in Brazil to combat intermittent fevers, cutaneous inflammations, and erysipelas.

Distribution

It is a tropical and subtropical plant. It grows naturally in the Amazon in Brazil. It suits the warm tropical lowlands. It grows on the floodplains of sediment rich rivers in the Amazon. It grows up to 1,300 m above sea level.

Where It Grows

Africa, Amazon, Bolivia, Brazil*, Caribbean, Central America, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Martinique, Mauritius, Panama, Peru*, Puerto Rico, South America, Suriname, Trinidad, West Indies, Winward Is.,

Cultivation

Plants are grown from seed. They can also be grown by cuttings.

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe along with the pulp which will help break down the seed coat and speed up germination. Stored seed should be soaked for 24 hours in warm water and germination time can be reduced if the seed is then mixed with the juice of a fresh passion fruit (of any species). Even so, it can take 12 months for stored seed to germinate. Place the seed tray in a shady position, maintaining a temperature around 19 - 24°c. Prick the seedlings out into individual containers as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant out when large enough. Cuttings of young shoots, taken at the nodes. The cuttings root best in a neutral to slightly acid compost, but 100% sharp sand also produces good results. Cuttings of fully mature wood taken at a node. They can take 3 months. Layering. Very easy. Air layering.

Other Information

It is a cultivated food plant. The fruit are enjoyed.

Notes

There are about 400 Passiflora species.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Cocorilla, Cocorilla de hueso, Digitata, Pasionaria, Puropuro, Tagua, Tagua-Tagua

References (14)

• Brazil: Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition. http://www.b4fn.org/countries/brazil/
• Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 468
• Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 168
• Kermath, B. M., et al, 2014, Food Plants in the Americas: A survey of the domesticated, cultivated and wild plants used for Human food in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. On line draft. p 619
• Kew Plants of the World Online

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