Passiflora antioquiensis (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Passiflora antioquiensis Karsten

Family: Passifloraceae

Vernacular names

• Van-Volxemian passion flower, vanilla passion fruit (En)
• Cumba quiteña (Sp).

Distribution

Originating from Colombia, now cultivated in Colombia and southern India for its fruits, in North America and Europe for its ornamental value. In South-East Asia only occasionally cultivated, it is naturalized in New Guinea.

Uses

The fruits are eaten raw or prepared, they have a vanilla-like taste. The plant is an ornamental as well.

Observations

• Climbing herb, flowers pink or red, pending on up to 20 cm long pedicels.
• Fruit a fusiform, longitudinally ribbed berry, 4-5 cm × 2 cm, yellow to red.

Species suited to cool conditions, occurring up to 2000 m altitude. Species of the tacsonia type, crosses with other tacsonias.

Selected sources

• Mansfeld, R. & Schultze Motel, J., 1986. Verzeichnis landwirtschaftlicher und gärtnerischer Kuturpflanzen. 2nd ed. 4 Volumes. Springer Verlag, Berlin. 1998 pp.

• Martin, F.W. & Nakasone, H.Y., 1970. The edible species of Passiflora. Economic Botany 24: 333-343.

• van Steenis, C.G.G.J. et al. (Editors), 1950-. Flora Malesiana. Series 1. Vol. 1, 4-10. Centre for Research and Development in Biology, Bogor, Indonesia, and Rijksherbarium, Leiden, the Netherlands. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, Boston, London.

Authors

P.C.M. Jansen, J. Jukema, L.P.A. Oyen, T.G. van Lingen