Passifloraceae FAMILY

Passiflora nitida

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Passiflora nitida is a very vigorous climbing plant with a perennial rootstock. It produces annual to perennial stems from 8 - 15 metres long that scramble over the ground or clamber into other plants, supporting themselves by means of tendrils. In dense forest it climbs into the canopies of trees, only flowering when it reaches the light[ 1678 Title Passifloraceae do Brasil. Estudo do gênero Passiflora L., subgênero Passiflora Publication Fontqueria 45 (1997) Author Cervi A.C. Publisher Year 1997 ISBN 0212-0623 Description ]. The edible fruits are greatly appreciated within the plant's native range, where it is collected from the wild and also sometimes cultivated[ 416 Title Brazilian Fruits and Cultivated Exotics Publication Author Lorenzi. H.; Bacher. L.; Lacerda. M.; Sartori. S. Publisher Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora LTDA; Brazil. Year 2000 ISBN 85-867174-24-0 Description A superb book, giving information on several hundred fruit species. Each entry has a brief description of the plant and its uses, accompanied by one to many excellent quality photographs of the fruits. ]. The plant is also cultivated in Indonesia (Java) for its tasty fruits[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeS. America - Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam.

HabitatSecondary forest, riverine forest and creek forests[ 422 Title Fruits of the Guianan Flora Publication Author van Roosmalen. M.G.M. Publisher Institute of Systematic Boyany, Utrecht University; Netherlands. Year 1985 ISBN 90-9000988-4 Description Terse descriptions of over 1,700 species from the Guianas that bear fruits - not necessarily edible! Often mentions if the fruit is edible, plus gives brief description of habit and habitat. ]. Found in dense forest, and also in savannah[ 1678 Title Passifloraceae do Brasil. Estudo do gênero Passiflora L., subgênero Passiflora Publication Fontqueria 45 (1997) Author Cervi A.C. Publisher Year 1997 ISBN 0212-0623 Description ]. Found at elevations up to 1,000 metres[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ].