Passiflora foetida

PLANT: In AZ a vine 0.5-3 m long, densely pilose throughout. LEAVES: palmately 3(-5) lobed, the margins usually erose serrate or incised serrate, ciliate with gland tipped cilia; petiole with gland tipped cilia; stipules cleft to near base into numerous conspicuous gland tipped cilia or segments. BRACTS: 18-27 mm long, 7-15 mm wide (to 45 mm long, 27 mm wide in fruit), lightly pilose, deeply bipinnatifid, the segments, cilia, or teeth glandular tipped. FLOWERS: ca 4-5.5 cm in diameter, whitish, the corona white or purplish; sepals subequal to or slightly shorter than petals; coronal filaments in ca. 6 series, the outermost 10-17 mm long, the inner ca. 4 series 2 mm or less long; ovary long pilose. FRUITS: ca. 2.5-3 cm in diameter, globose or widely ellipsoid, greenish or yellowish. SEEDS: ca. 5.6-6.3 mm long, 3.3-3.9 mm wide, pitted, apically tridentate. NOTES: Outcrops in desert grasslands: Pima, Santa Cruz cos.; 1150-1700 m (3700-5600 ft); Jun-Oct (fr. Aug-Oct); Son., Mex., and widespread throughout tropical America, introduced in warm regions worldwide. This species has 38 varieties according to the last monographer, Killip. The one variety (var. arizonica Killip) that he recognizes as occurring in Arizona might deserve recognition at the species level. It differs from other vars. in having leaves that are deeply lobed, with the central lobe often narrowed near its base, the lateral lobes themselves lobed, and the margins erose serrate. REFERENCES: MacDougal, John M. 2001. Passifloraceae. J. Ariz. - Nev. Acad. Sci. Volume 33(1).

MacDougal 2001, Kearney and Peebles 1969

Duration: Annual Nativity: Non-Native Lifeform: Vine General: Herbaceous perennial vine, stems 0.5-3 m long, trailing or climbing, surfaces densely grayish-pilose throughout, tipped with long, curling tendrils, these opposite the leaves. Leaves: Alternate, deeply palmately 3-5 lobed, margins usually erose serrate or incised serrate, the petioles glandless. Flowers: Purple, large and showy, perfect, regular, 5-merous, 4-5.5 cm in diameter, whitish, corollas (coronas) white or purplish, fringed, receptacles expanded and disklike at the base, prolonged into a column, sepals subequal to or slightly shorter than petals, coronal filaments in 6 series, the outermost 10-17 mm long, the inner in 4 series 2 mm or less long, the filaments untied into a tube enveloping and adnate to, the stalk of the 1-celled ovary, ovaries long pilose, subtending bracts 18-27 mm long, 7-15 mm wide, becoming up to 45 mm long and 27 mm wide in fruit, lightly pilose, deeply bipinnatifid, the segments, cilia, or teeth glandular tipped, flowers borne on 1-flowered axillary peduncles. Fruits: Berries, globose or widely ellipsoid, 2.5-3 cm in diameter, greenish or yellowish in color. Seeds many, 5.6-6.3 mm long, 3.3-3.9 mm wide, pitted, apically tridentate. Ecology: Found on outcrops in desert grasslands, from 3,500-5,500 ft (1067-1676); flowering June-October. Distribution: Arizona; Mexico. Notes: Look for this species in Santa Cruz and Pima counties. Ethnobotany: Unknown, but other species in the genus have uses. Synonyms: Numerous, see Tropicos Editor: LCrumbacher2012 Etymology: Passiflora comes from the Latin passio, "passion," and flos, "flower.", and foetida means malodoru or fetid.