Tropical Plant "Sururuca"
Passiflora setacea

Characteristics - Passiflora setacea is a fruit bearer not under cultivation in Brazil, and frequent in its natural habitat, the brushy areas and forests of the littoral levees in Bahia, Espirito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Goias and Mato Grosso. It is a perinnial, herbaceous climber (with tendrils), has a ci-lindrical, tomentose caulis, stipules setaceous, deciduous, about 5 mm long. Leaves trilobate, subcoriaceous, trinerved, normally pilose on both surfaces, 5-8 cm long, petiole about 3cm long, with one pair of saucer-shaped glands, located near the base of the foliar lamina. Flowers solitary, about 10 cm in diameter, form from September to December. Fruits have a juicy pulp with an acidic flavor; they mature from January to May.

Uses - The fruits are consumed in their natural state and are greatly appreciated.

Propagation - Propagated by seeds.