Passiflora caerulea; passionflower

Japanese: トケイソウ(時計草) - トケイソウ（英語表記）Passiflora caerulea; passionflower

An evergreen perennial vine of the Passifloraceae family. Native to Brazil, it was introduced to Japan during the Kyoho era (1716-36). The vine-like stem reaches a height of about 4m, and grows by twining around other plants with unbranched tendrils. The leaves are alternate, palmately divided into 5 deep lobes, entire, and have large stipules at the base of the petiole. In summer, it produces large flowers with stalks in the leaf axils. There are 10 tepals that open flat, with the outer 5 being sepals and the inner 5 being petals. The petals are pale pink or pale blue, and the inner tepals have numerous thread-like coronae, which is a characteristic of the family. It is called clock vine because the shape of the flower resembles a clock face, and it is cultivated in greenhouses for ornamental purposes. A closely related species of the same genus, P. edulis , also native to Brazil, is cultivated in tropical regions for its fruits, which can be eaten raw or used for juice (passion juice). It is also cultivated in the Ryukyu Islands of Japan. This species has leaves with three lobes, a corona as long as the perianth, and produces fruits about 10 cm long with reddish purple spots.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

トケイソウ科の常緑多年生のつる植物。ブラジル原産で，日本には享保年間 (1716～36) に伝えられたという。茎はつる状で約 4mに達し，分枝しない巻きひげで他物にからみつきながら伸びる。葉は互生し，掌状に5深裂して全縁，葉柄の基部には大きな托葉が目立つ。夏に，葉腋に柄のある大型の花をつける。花被片は 10枚で平らに開き，外側の5枚が萼片，内側の5枚が花弁である。花弁の色は淡紅または淡青色で花被の内側に多数の糸状の副花冠があり科の特徴とされる。花の形を時計の文字盤に見立てて時計草といい，観賞用に温室で栽培する。やはりブラジル原産の同属の近縁種にクダモノトケイソウ P. edulisがあり，果実を生食やジュース用 (パッションジュース) にするため熱帯各地で栽培される。日本でも南西諸島でつくっている。この種は葉が3裂し，副花冠が花被と同じくらい長く，紅紫色の斑点のある長さ 10cmほどの果実をつける。

出典　ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典について　情報

<<: Scolopia oldhamii Hance

>>: Clock Glass - Tokeizara