Biodiversity in Belize
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Passionflowers of Belize, main page

Passionflowers (Passifloraceae) are a fascinating plant family. Because of their exotic and complex flowers they have found a group of dedicated followers that attempt to put many species into horticulture and create numerous hybrids that are often in some way superior to their parents. Additionally some species are economically important because of their delicious fruit.

Passiflora structure

Equally fascinating is the wide variety of leaf shapes within the Passifloraceae, and many species have ornamental value for their foliage alone.

Ecologically they are interesting because of their close relationship with a group of butterflies known as Heliconiinae (Longwing butterflies or Passionflower butterflies). Nearly every passionflower is host to at least one Heliconid butterfly.

A total of 23 Passionflowers are recorded from the wild in Belize. These 23 species belong to various "subgenera". For the sake of convenience, the pictorial species list is split up in two according to subgenus. Part 1 has the members of the Subgenus Decaloba and Deidamioides. Part 2 has the subgenera Astrophea, and Passiflora A vegetative Key for the Passionflowers of Belize was published by Jan Meerman in 1996. New description of a Belizean passionflower MacDougal and Meerman, 2004 (pdf)

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Last modified: January 21, 2005