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NZ Plants

Passiflora tetrandra - kohia, New Zealand passion flower

Passion flower family: Passifloraceae

Passiflora tetrandra is a perennial climber with glossy bright-green leaves. Climbing is assisted by  touch-sensitive tendrils that grow out from the stem at the base of each leaf. Flowers of this genus are distinguished by the presence of a showy whorl (the ‘corona’) of tubular thread like structures  between the petals and stamens. Passiflora is a large pan-tropical genus of about 500 species. The species name is derived from the fact that the flowers have parts in fours (tetra=four) an exception to a genus that is characterised by flowers with parts in fives.
An endemic species found in lowland forest from the North Island to the Banks Peninsula on the South Island.
 

Vegetative characteristics

Reproductive characteristics

Plant form: vine

Arrangement of parts: symmetric
 

Flower size: 8-15 mm diam.

Leaf form: undivided, ovate-lanceolate

Sepals: 4

Leaf size: 40-60 mm

Petals: 4, green, white

Leaf arrangement: singly along stem

Sexuality: unisexual on different plants

Leaf attachment:

Stamens: 4

Leaf margin: smooth

Ovary: above petals

Leaf surface:  hairless, glossy

Fruit: fleshy


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