corky passion vine
A climber or creeper developing a corky bark at the bases of its older stems. Its alternately arranged leaves usually have three pointed lobes. Its small flowers (about 1.5 cm across) are greenish or whitish in colour. Its fruit are small bluish-black or purplish-black berries (about 1-1.5 cm across).
Widely naturalised in the northern and eastern parts of Australia (i.e. in northern and eastern Queensland, in the north-western parts of the Northern Territory, and in the coastal districts of northern and central New South Wales). Also widely naturalised in other tropical regions of the world.
A weed of closed forests, open woodlands, urban bushland, riparian vegetation, disturbed sites, waste areas and gardens in tropical, sub-tropical and warmer temperate regions.
A slender vine with a climbing or creeping habit.
Corky passion vine (Passiflora suberosa) is regarded as an environmental weed in Queensland and New South Wales.
A climber or creeper developing a corky bark at the bases of its older stems. Its alternately arranged leaves usually have three pointed lobes. Its small flowers (about 1.5 cm across) are greenish or whitish in colour. Its fruit are small bluish-black or purplish-black berries (about 1-1.5 cm across).
The small flowers (15-25 mm across) are borne singly in the leaf forks (i.e. axils) on stalks (i.e. pedicels) 1.5-2.5 cm long. They are usually pale greenish or whitish in colour and do not have any petals. However, they have six sepals which may be mistaken for petals and five prominent stamens. They also have an ovary with three styles that are topped with large stigmas. Flowering occurs throughout most of the year. The fruit are rounded berries (about 1-1.5 cm across) and turn from green to bluish-black or purplish-black as they mature. They contain numerous wrinkled seeds (3-4 mm long).
This species reproduces by seed, which are mainly spread by birds and other animals that eat its fruit.
Corky passion vine (Passiflora suberosa) can be distinguished from two other similar species, white passion flower (Passiflora subpeltata) and stinking passion vine (Passiflora foetida), by its leaves. White passion flower (Passiflora subpeltata) has hairless leaves with three rounded lobes and stinking passion vine (Passiflora foetida) has hairy leaves with three pointed lobes, while corky passion vine (Passiflora suberosa) has hairless leaves with three pointed lobes. The flowers and fruit of corky passion vine (Passiflora suberosa) are also much smaller than those of the other species.
