Passiflora caerulea
Passiflora multiflora
blue passion flower, bluecrown passionflower
many-flower passionflower, whiteflower passionflower
angular when young, glabrous.
terete, becoming coarsely fluted when old, densely hairy.
weakly pungent, glabrous;
stipules subreniform, 10–20 × 5–10 mm, glandular-serrate;
petiole glandular, glands clavate;
blade roughly symmetric, 3–10(–16) × 4–11(–14) cm, deeply (3–)5–7(–9)-lobed, middle lobe as long as or longer than lateral lobes, margins entire but often serrate basally on lobes;
abaxial fine veins prominently raised, abaxial nectaries scattered along margins.
not pungent, densely soft-hairy;
stipules linear-setaceous, 3–5 × 0.5 mm, eglandular;
petiole glandular, glands small, emergent protuberances;
blade roughly symmetric, 4–10(–13) × 1.5–4(–6) cm, unlobed to rarely obscurely 3–5-lobed, middle lobe much longer than lateral lobes, margins entire;
abaxial fine veins prominently raised, abaxial nectaries absent or sometimes present near leaf margins.
floral tube cuplike, 4–5 mm deep;
sepals white, 20–35 × 10–15 mm;
petals white, 20–40 × 10–15 mm;
corona filament whorls 4, outer filaments dark purple basally, white medially, purple apically (rarely entirely white), linear, terete to slightly flattened, 10–20 mm.
floral tube absent;
sepals green-white, 5–6 × 2–3 mm;
petals white, 4–5 × 1–1.5 mm;
corona filament whorls 2, outer filaments white basally, yellow apically, filiform, terete, clavate, 3–5 mm.
yellow-orange to orange, ovoid to ellipsoid, 30–50 × 30–35 mm.
dark blue, globose, 5–8 × 5–8 mm.
bracts ovate to ovate-oblong, 15–25 × 10–15 mm, margins entire or weakly serrate, eglandular.
bracts obscure, ovate-lanceolate, 1–2 × 0.5–1 mm, margins entire, eglandular.
= 18.
Passiflora caerulea
Passiflora multiflora
Passiflora caerulea is cultivated widely in the flora area but naturalized only in the Los Angeles metropolitan area (see F. Hrusa et al. 2002). It is possibly introduced in the Mule Mountains of southeastern Arizona (J. Koweek, pers. comm.), although this has not been confirmed. It was reported also from Utah by S. L. Welsh et al. (2003), although as “cultivated...long-persisting,” suggesting that it is not actually naturalized there. This species is cold-hardy and can be cultivated in gardens in relatively cold regions (at least USDA plant hardiness zone 6), but it is unlikely to flower in such areas because of relatively short growing seasons, although it still makes an interesting foliage plant. Even in the absence of sexual reproduction, this species can persist and even spread locally by root suckering.
The artificial hybrid Passiflora ×belotii will key to P. caerulea in this treatment. However, the leaves of P. ×belotii are consistently three-lobed, unlike the primarily five- to seven-lobed leaves of P. caerulea.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Passiflora multiflora can produce hundreds to thousands of flowers at once, often in several fragrant flushes per season. It has perhaps the smallest flowers of any passionflower, and the androgynophore is nearly absent. A glabrous form of this otherwise densely hairy species has been collected outside the flora area.
Passiflora miniata Vanderplank (often misidentified as P. coccinea Aublet) will key to P. multiflora based upon superficial similarity of their leaves. However, P. miniata has serrated leaf margins and large, red flowers.
Passiflora multiflora is listed as endangered in Florida.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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