Passionflower

Passion-flower (Passiftora), the typical genus of the calycifloral order Passifloracea?, mostly climbing plants with unbranched tendrils and scattered leaves, natives of warm climates, especially America. They were so named by Jesuit missionaries, who traced in them detailed symbols of our Lord's Passion. The palmately-lobed leaves are the outspread fingers of the mocking multitude; the tendrils, the scourges; the ten segments of the perianth, the Apostles in the absence of Peter and Judas; the ring of coloured hair-like processes or corona, the crown of thorns or the aureole; the five anthers splitting longitudinally, the five wounds; and the three clavate stigmas, the three nails. The corona is connected with insect-pollination, the pollen being thrown upon it by the extrorse anthers. Both stamens and ovary are carried up on a gynandrophore (q.v.), and the stalked nuculane (q.v.) has a hard rind and numerous seeds, embedded in a fleshy, edible, but mawkish pulp. Many species are grown for their beauty, and numerous hybrids have been produced. The fruits of P. quadrangularis, the granadilla (q.v.) are brought to market occasionally. Those of P. macrocarpa sometimes weigh as much as eight pounds.