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PASSIFLORACEAE

Schlechterina

Harms

Source:

SSA

Description:

Slender shrubs, becoming climbers, with tendrils in axils of upper leaves, glabrous. Leaves petiolate, dimorphic, either simple, ovate-elliptic and entire, or linear-elongate with irregularly undulate-crenate margin; petiole short, with two glands near apex. Flowers bisexual, in short, axillary, racemose clusters towards ends of branches; bracts lanceolate; buds subglobose; hypanthium short and broad. Sepals 3 or 4, broadly imbricate, with narrow, membranous margin. Petals 3 or 4, similar to sepals, but slightly smaller. Corona single, of many terete, tapering filaments +/- as long as stamens, +/- connate at base into a tube with short frills at their base within and inside tube. Stamens 6-8, with filaments shortly connate at base and with short, alternate lobes or 'glands' from within united base; anthers large, +/- sagittate at base, dorsifixed, obtuse or mucronulate at apex with introrse dehiscence. Ovary shortly stipitate, narrowly ovoid or oblong, with numerous ovules on 4 parietal placentas; stigmas 4, thickened and grooved. Fruit a 3- or 4-valved capsule, shortly stalked, glabrous. Seeds compressed with smooth, shiny testa.

Distribution:

Species 1: Schlechterina mitostemmatoides Harms, tropical east Africa into NE KwaZulu-Natal.

Passiflora

Source:

SSA

Description:

Perennial climbers to lianas, provided with tendrils. Leaves lobed or simple, petiolate, margin mostly dentate; petiole and blade with or without glands; stipules minute to large. Inflorescences sessile or peduncled, 1-many-flowered with or without a simple tendril; bracts and bracteoles small to large, forming a conspicuous involucre or not. Flowers 5-merous; hypanthium saucer-shaped to cylindrical. Sepals and petals free, often brightly coloured; petals mostly resembling sepals, sometimes 0. Corona extra-staminal, variously shaped, composed of a usually complicated outer corona consisting of threads, and flat or plicate inner coronas, and a nectary ring or annulus. Androgynophore mostly distinct. Stamens 5(-8), free, in older flowers mostly reflexed. Gynophore 0, or sometimes up to 7 mm long. Ovary globose to fusiform; styles 3(4), free or connate at base; stigmas capitate. Fruit mostly indehiscent, baccate, often with coriaceous exocarp, globose or ellipsoid, or rarely fusiform, many-seeded. x = 6 (10, 11) (polyploidy).

Distribution:

Species +/- 370, mostly Americas and +/- 20 in SE China and Australasia; several species have been introduced as ornamentals or for the edible fruits, e.g. * Passiflora edulis Sims (Granadilla).

Paropsia

Noronha ex Thouars

Source:

SSA

Description:

Subshrubs or small trees, mostly rusty-pubescent, without tendrils. Leaves +/- distichous, coriaceous, +/- oblong, not lobed; stipules 0. Flowers bisexual, in axillary fascicles, or solitary; hypanthium shallowly cup-shaped. Sepals (4)5, oblong, persistent. Petals (4)5, oblong or linear-spatulate, 1-ribbed. Corona single, laciniate; segments linear, tomentose, sometimes arranged in 5 bundles connate at base, opposite petals. Stamens 5, monadelphous, arising at base of gynophore; anthers cordate. Ovary ovoid, sometimes shortly stalked; styles (2)3(-5); stigmas capitate, subreniform; ovules numerous, attached to 3-5 parietal placentas. Fruit a 3(-5)-valved, subglobose, membranous, downy capsule. Seeds ovoid, compressed, with cup-shaped, membranous arillus; testa crustaceous, pitted.

Distribution:

Species 11, Africa, Madagascar to Malaya; 2 in sthn Afr., N Namibia, Botswana and Kruger National Park in Northern Province.

Basananthe

Peyr.

Source:

SSA

Synonym(s):

Tryphostemma Harv.: 32, t. 51 (1859); Harvey: 499 (1862); Schreiber: 1 (1968).

Description:

Herbs, annual or perennial, or small climbers, rarely shrubs, with or without tendrils. Leaves petioled or subsessile, entire, not lobed, bilobed, or digitately 3-5-lobed; stipules small or sometimes false stipules from supra-axillary bud. Flowers bisexual or sometimes functionally unisexual, 1-3 together, cymose, sessile or peduncled; bracts and bracteoles small, often forming an involucre. Sepals 5(6). Petals 0 or 1 or 2(4) or 5(6), usually shorter than sepals, oblong to lanceolate. Corona double, outer fimbriate above, inner cup-like, membranous. Stamens 5(6-9) arising from within upper half of corona; anthers basifixed, sometimes sagittate. Ovary sessile, with 3-few ovules on 3(4) parietal placentas; styles 3(4), free or partially united; stigmas globose. Fruit a 3(4)-valved capsule. Seeds 1-few, somewhat compressed, ellipsoid or reniform, arillate.

Distribution:

Species 25, Africa; 5 in sthn Afr., Namibia, Northern Province, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.

Adenia

Forssk.

Source:

SSA

Synonym(s):

Modecca Lam.: 208 (1979); Harvey: 499 (1862).

Description:

Perennials, usually with tuber-like stem base giving rise to erect or climbing branches, sometimes spinose; dioecious, rarely monoecious. Leaves simple or digitately compound, with 1 or 2 glands at apex of petiole, sometimes with glands on underside of leaf; stipules acicular. Flowers unisexual, solitary or clustered or in cymes; sometimes peduncle ending in a tendril; corona a ring of hair-like processes, sometimes partly membranous, or a laciniate rim or 0. Male flowers: receptacle/hypanthium usually narrowly cylindric or cup- to saucer-shaped; sepals (4)5(6); lobes usually longer than tube; petals (4)5(6), arising in calyx tube or in sinuses, usually shorter than calyx lobes; glands 5 or 0; stamens free or connate, arising from calyx tube or centre of receptacle, usually shorter than petals; rudimentary ovary usually present. Female flowers: receptacle funnel-shaped; calyx lobed or segmented; petals 5 arising in calyx tube; glands present or 0; staminodes present, connate at base; ovary sessile or stipitate, usually ovoid, with several ovules on 3(-5) parietal placentas; style short or 0, 3(4)-branched; stigmas usually fleshy, papillate. Fruit a stipitate, 3(-5)-valved capsule; pericarp coriaceous to rather fleshy and hence fruit berry-like, reddish, yellowish, or brownish, sometimes as large as a hen's egg. Seeds usually compressed, with crustaceous, pitted testa. x = 6 (high polyploidy).

Distribution:

Species 93, fairly cosmopolitan in tropical countries; 10 in sthn Afr., widespread, except in Western Cape.

Viridivia

J.H.Hemsl. & Verdc.

Description:

Small trees or shrubs without tendrils. Leaves mostly ovate or elliptic, denticulate, hairy on both surfaces. Flowers bisexual, usually developing before leaves, in dense racemes at end of short branches; bracts small, carinate, acute, soon caducous. Sepals 4, imbricate, sericeous outside, 3-7-nerved. Petals 4, smaller than sepals, 1-nerved. Corona shortly tubular, irregularly fimbriate and with clavate whitish glands. Stamens 10-16; filaments free and hairy; anthers oblong. Ovary globose, stipitate, 1-locular; styles 4-6 with fleshy, kidney-shaped stigmas; ovules +/- 50, anatropous, arranged in 2 rows on 4 or 5 placentas. Capsule subglobose, stipitate. Seeds ovoid, compressed, included in a cupulate aril.

Distribution:

Monotypic genus: Viridivia suberosa J.H.Hemsl. & Verdc., SW Tanzania and Zambia.

Source:

SSTA

Paropsiopsis

Engl.

Description:

Small, erect trees with palm-like habit; branches spreading, reddish-pubescent. Leaves alternate, membranous, with very short, densely reddish brown-pubescent petioles; lamina oblong with acute to long-acuminate apex and rounded to slightly cordate base, penninerved, margin remotely and abruptly glandular-dentate; stipules lanceolate, long-acuminate, tomentose. Flowers bisexual, large, solitary in leaf axils, on short, reddish brown-pubescent pedicels. Sepals 5, large, imbricate, lanceolate, pubescent on both faces. Petals 5, resembling sepals but slightly narrower, minutely pubescent on both faces. Stamens 8-11, arising at base of ovary; filaments filiform; anthers elongate, attached shortly above cordate base, 2-thecous, longitudinally dehiscent. Corona double: outer one short, irregularly laciniate; inner one very short, annular, slightly fleshy. Ovary subglobose, tomentose, on a short but distinct androgynophore; styles 3-5, filiform; stigmas capitate.

Distribution:

Species 7, tropical W Africa; sthn trop. Afr. 1: Paropsiopsis ferruginea Exell, Angola (Cabinda).

Source:

SSTA

Barteria

Hook.f.

Description:

Shrubs or trees without tendrils; branchlets usually hollow and often inhabited by ants. Leaves alternate or subdistichous, not lobed, elliptic to lanceolate, usually leathery, subsessile or petiole short, often shortly winged and decurrent on branches as a ridge; margin finely crenulate to subentire, set with many small glands; stipules small, caducous. Inflorescences axillary, sessile, either up to 4-flowered fascicles or horseshoe-shaped and 4-9-flowered, or flowers solitary; bracts many, imbricate, brown. Flowers bisexual, large, fragrant, sessile; hypanthium thickish, shallowly cup-shaped. Sepals 5, free, imbricate, large. Petals 5, imbricate, resembling sepals. Corona double: outer one membranous, tubiform, straight or +/- folded, with laciniate margin; inner one low, fleshy, with shallowly lobed margin. Stamens many, nearly hypogynous, arranged +/- in 2 rows; filaments united into a tube in lower 1/4-1/2; anthers 2-thecous, sub-basifixed, oblong-linear. Ovary sessile, placentas 3 or 4, many-ovuled; style single, thick, conspicuous, intruding in stigma; stigma large, hemispherical to obtuse-conical, smooth, entire or distally +/- 3(4)-lobed, often larger than ovary. Fruit coriaceous, perhaps indehiscent but showing 3(4) valve sutures, subglobose, subsessile. Seeds many, ovoid, +/- flattened, arillate; testa crustaceous, minutely pitted.

Distribution:

Species 4, trop. Africa; sthn trop. Afr. 2, Angola.

Source:

SSTA

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PASSIFLORACEAE