Passiflora biflora (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Passiflora biflora Lamk

Family: Passifloraceae

Synonyms

• Passiflora lunata Willd.

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: ketungkeng, bunga kupu-kupu.

Distribution

Native to South America, but cultivated and occasionally escaped pantropically.

Uses

Shoots and young leaves are eaten cooked or raw. Flower buds and young flowers are consumed as well. The whole plant may serve as a living fence. In South America the plant is used for medicinal purposes.

Observations

• Slender, tendrilled climber with a 6-7-ribbed stem, 2-6 m long.
• Leaves subcoriaceous, 2-lobed or hemi-orbicular or obreniform (lunate), 2.5-10 cm × 4.5-13 cm.
• Flowers greenish-white and fragrant, 3-3.5 cm in diameter.
• Fruit globular, 1-2 cm in diameter.

Locally cultivated in Java up to 1000 m altitude.

Selected sources

7, 63, 66, 91.