Parts of the Passion Vine Flower

The flower of the passion vine, or passiflora, is an exotic-looking bloom that is easily recognized by the ring of spiky petals that surround its stamens. According to the Sunset Western Garden Book, the "flower parts can be seen to symbolize elements of the passion of Christ, hence the plant's common name." Although the passion flower is composed of the same structures as other flowers, the unusual form of the flower parts makes this bloom distinctive.

The Stigma

The stigma is the part of a flower that collects pollen from the air or from insects that land on the flower. The passion flower has three prominent stigma at the center of the bloom. These are said to symbolize the three nails used in the crucifixion. Depending on the specific type of passion flower, the stigma may be green, white, purple, pink, red or mottled.

The Stamens

A stamen is composed of the anther, where pollen is produced and released, and the filament, which holds the anther out from the center of the flower. The five stamens of the passion flower are located directly behind the stigma, in front of the petals. They are representative of Christ's five wounds. The anthers of the passion vine flower are generally oval in shape and may be white, green or yellow.

The Corona

The most recognizable feature of the passion flower is the corona. This ring of thin, spiky, petal-like structures help attract insects to the blossom and are symbolic of the crown of thorns worn by Christ. Although coronas can be found on other flowers, such as daffodils, the distinctive form of the passion flower corona is unique to this plant. The most common types of passion vine have a multicolored corona that is dark purple at the center, followed by a ring of white and bluish-lavender at the tips. In other varieties the corona may be solid purple, solid white, blue, red or mottled.

The Petals

The purpose of a flower's petals is to attract birds and insects to the flower, leading to its pollination. Although the passion flower appears to have 10 petals beneath the corona, there are actually only five. The remaining five are sepals. Together, the petals and sepals of the passion flower symbolize the 10 faithful apostles. Usually white, purple or red, the petals may or may not be the same color as the sepals below.

The Sepals

Although sepals are often confused with petals or leaves, they are actually the lobes of the calyx. The calyx is the green, cup-shaped structure that surrounds and protects the flower before it opens. In the passion flower, the sepals strongly resemble the petals and may even be the same color. In some varieties of passion vine, however, the sepals and petals are different colors, resulting in a striped appearance.

References

• Sunset Western Garden Book; Kathleen Norris Brenzel, editor; 2007
• Passion Flower Anatomy