Passiflora mixta

Passiflora mixta, from the family Passifloraceae is also known as "curuba", "curuba de indio", "curuba de monte", "curubita", "curuba" (Colombia), "parcha" (Venezuela), and "taxo" (Ecuador). Originally, it derived from the monophyletic Adeans "Passiflora" subgenus "Tacsonia". "Passiflora" includes 47 species, one of which is "Passiflora mixta" which can be found in Southern America. A perennial vine, the "Passiflora mixta" is pink to orange-red in color.
Description.
"Passiflora mixta" can be identified by large pink flowers, trilobate coricaeous leaves, that are tubular in shape that protrude from its branches. It has a hairy elongated bract and hypanthum that contain a narrow nector chamber. At , "Passiflora mixta" has a hypanthium (otherwise known as the flower tube) with a base that contains nectar. Also found in "P. mixta", are ovaries, anthers and stigmas. These reproductive organs are located anterior to the hypanthium near the androgynophore. This species is capable of producing fruits and flowers that remain open for 3 to 5 days by producing half-pendant, horizontal, or erect flowers.
Status:
Wild plant, collected, important genetic resource for banana passionfruit breeding.
Germination.
"Passiflora mixta" seeds take approximately 30–365 days to germinate and even under optimal conditions their growth may be erratic.
The seeds should be planted deep in a peaty seed sowing mix at about . new water should be used every day and it is necessary to soak them under warm water. This process will cause some seeds to swell up; these seeds should be sown instantly. On occasion it is also important to soak the container in which the seeds are placed.
Pollination.
This species of "Passiflora" is pollinated by the Sword-billed hummingbird ("Ensifera ensifera"), which is the only living species in the genus "Ensifera". This bird is found throughout the northern Andes and is identified by its extremely large beak that is longer than the size of its entire body. They are pollinators of the passionflower, which contains nectar at the bottom of the long corolla tube that belongs to the "P. mixta".