Passiflora mollissima (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Passiflora mollissima (Kunth) Bailey

Family: Passifloraceae

Vernacular names

• Banana passion fruit (En)
• Tacsonia, tacso (Sp).

Distribution

Originating from the Andes. Cultivated in Ecuador, Colombia, southern California, New Zealand, Hawaii, India and occasionally elsewhere.

Uses

The fruit pulp is eaten fresh or prepared in drinks, ice-creams, desserts, etc. The plant is also cultivated as an ornamental.

Observations

• Softly pubescent climbing herb with deeply 3-lobed leaves and pink flowers of 7.5 cm diameter.
• Fruit an ellipsoidal berry, 5-12 cm × 3-4 cm, yellow or dark green; pulp salmon coloured, with black flat reticulated seeds.

Suited to cool conditions but sensitive to frost. Propagation by seed and by cuttings. First crop 2 years after planting. In Colombia fruit production of 31-47 t/ha per year is possible.

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.

• Morton, J.F., 1987. Fruits of warm climates. Creative Resource Systems Inc., Winterville, N.C., USA. 503 pp.

• Purseglove, J.W., 1975. Tropical Crops. Dicotyledons 1 & 2. Longmans Green & Co., London. 719 pp.

• 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