How does a passionflower fool a butterfly?

By Chelsie Vandaveer

August 1, 2001

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Plant of the Week 7/30/2001

Passionflower (Passiflora) Plant of the Week 7/30/2001
Alien Passiflora Desktop

Passionflowers (Genus: Passiflora) are the exclusive hosts (the plant a caterpillar must eat in order to survive) to over seventy species of butterflies known collectively as the Heliconids. Although, passionflowers are poisonous to most herbivores, the Heliconid caterpillars can sequester chemicals from the passionflower that make them distasteful to predators. But too many caterpillars can seriously jeopardize the passionflower's ability to flower and reproduce. It appears that the plants counter-attack.

The new leaves on some passionflower vines will grow in a different shape, possibly making it harder for the butterfly to find a leaf on which to lay her eggs. Some leaves develop raised yellow or brown spots that look like butterfly eggs and coiled tendrils along the vine often look like caterpillars. These shapes, spots, and odd tendrils are believed to discourage the butterfly from laying her eggs on a vine that appears already populated.

"Passion flowers in UK" has photographs of possibly the rarest passionflower, Passiflora parritae taken at Strybling Arboretum in California. To view the photographs, click on the link:

http://www.passionflow.co.uk/parritae1.htm

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Passion Flower

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Commemorates the Crucifixion, according to legend.

White flowers wearing a spike crown of violet are unusual and unique. Large blooms are followed by egg-shaped deep orange fruits that have a flavor reminiscent of blackberries and are good for baking. Benefits from hoop or trellis support and enjoys full sun.

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Chelsie's Note: The Spanish living in the West Indies called these plants granadilla, because the delicious fruit somewhat resembles the granadas or pomegranate. The botanical and common names came in a roundabout way. These names were derived from Flos Passionis, a name bestowed upon these plants by the Spanish friars who came to the Americas to convert the Native Americans to Catholicism. With the differences in languages, the friars needed teaching tools and the passionflower made for good symbolism when teaching of the suffering and crucifixion of Christ.

The Spanish friars' legend of the passionflower runs thus: The three bracts at the base of the flower represent the trinity of God. The ten petal-like structures represent the ten apostles present at the crucifixion, Peter being absent because he denied Christ and Judas because he betrayed Christ. In some versions, the fringe petals represent the lash wounds from the whips of the Romans, in other versions; they represent the crown of thorns. The five anthers signified the wounds to Christ's body. The three stigmas at the top represent the nails in the hands and feet. From Plant of the Week 7/30/2001