Passiflora suberosa L.

  • Authority

    Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.

  • Family

    Passifloraceae

  • Scientific Name

    Passiflora suberosa L.

  • Description

    Species Description - Herbaceous vine, 1-3 m long; stems slender, cylindrical, puberulent to glabrous, turning whitish gray and corky at age. Leaf blades 4-10 X 4-15 cm, extremely variable, but at least some of the leaves 3-lobed (sometimes leaves ovate), nearly coriaceous, glabrous, with 3-5 main diverging veins from base, the margins entire, revolute, the lobes acute, obtuse, rounded, or shortly acuminate, the central lobe usually longer than the lateral ones, the base nearly cordate to obtuse; petioles 1.5-2 cm long, with 2 stipitate glands below the blade; stipules filiform, ca. 5 mm long. Flowers ascending, solitary or paired in leaf axils; the peduncles articulate, 1.5-2 cm long, without bracts. Sepals oblong- lanceolate, greenish to whitish within, 7.5-10 mm long; petals wanting, corona multiseriate, purple, the outer segments filiform, ca. 3 mm long, greenish toward the apex, the inner ones minute, purplish; gynophore cylindrical, ca. 5 mm long; stamens 5, greenish, ascending; ovary ellipsoid, green, the styles clubshaped, reflexed, the stigmas capitate. Fruit a fleshy, ovoid or ellipsoid berry, 10-12 mm long, turning from green to bluish purple, on a short greenish gynophore. Seeds numerous, ellipsoid, ca. 3 mm long, covered with a greenish pulp.

  • Discussion

    Passiflora pallida L., Sp. PL 955. 1753. Passiflora suberosa var. pallida (L.) Mast., Trans. Linn. Soc. London 27: 630. 1871.

    Passiflora hirsuta L., Sp. P L 958. 1753.

    Common names: indigo berry, ink berry.

  • Distribution

    A common weed, from moist to dry forests or open disturbed areas. Bordeaux (A3133), trail to L'Esperance (A2063). Also on Anegada, St. Croix, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda; common throughout the West Indies and tropical America, introduced into the Old World tropics.

    West Indies| Virgin Gorda Virgin Islands South America| Saint Thomas Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Tortola Virgin Islands South America| Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Anegada Virgin Islands South America|