Passiflora affinis
Species of flowering plant
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Passiflora affinis, the bracted passionflower, is a species of flowering perennial vine of Texas and northeast Mexico.[2][3] The vine has three-lobed leaves and a small yellow-green bloom with delicate filaments arranged in a starburst. It is a larval host plant for several butterfly species.
| Passiflora affinis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Passifloraceae |
| Genus: | Passiflora |
| Species: | P. affinis |
| Binomial name | |
| Passiflora affinis | |
Description
Passiflora affinis is a perennial climbing vine that can reach up to 4.5 m (15 ft) in length.[3] Leaves have two to three rounded lobes and are broader than they are long, typically measuring 6–10 cm (2.4–3.9 in) wide and 3–7 cm (1.2–2.8 in) long with a petiole of 3 cm (1.2 in).[4]
Flowers grow singly or in pairs from the connection between petiole and stem.[4] The flower is yellow-green overall and consists of 5 longer sepals alternating with 5 shorter petals underneath a disc of delicate filaments. P. affinis blooms July through August.[3] The fruit is a purple-black berry.[3]
Range
Passiflora affinis is distributed across the Edwards Plateau geographic region of central Texas. It occurs in the following counties: Bandera, Bell, Bexar, Comal, Edwards, Fayette, Gillespie, Hays, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, Llano, Sutton, Travis, Uvalde, and Val Verde.[5] It is also found in northeast Mexico.[2][6]
Habitat
Passiflora affinis grows in the limestone soils common to the Edward's Plateau and prefers sun or partial shade.[3]
Ecology
Like other central Texas passionflower vines, Passiflora affinis is a larval host plant for the Gulf Fritillary[7] and the Zebra Longwing.[8] The caterpillars may completely defoliate the vine but if a plant is well established it is capable of growing back.[3]