Banana passionfruit (''Passiflora'' supersect. ''Tacsonia''), also known as taxo and curuba, is a group of around 64 ''

Passiflora ''Passiflora'', known also as the passion flowers or passion vines, is a genus of about 550 species of flowering plants, the type genus of the family Passifloraceae. They are mostly tendril-bearing vines, with some being shrubs or trees. The ...

'' species found in South America. Most species in this section are found in high elevation cloud forest habitats. Flowers have a cylindrical hypanthium.

Species

Invasive species

''P. tarminiana'' and ''P. tripartita'' thrive in the climate of

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island coun ...

. They are

invasive species An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species adv ...

since they can smother forest margins and forest regrowth. It is illegal to sell, cultivate and distribute the plants. Banana passionfruit vines are now smothering more than of native forest on the islands of Hawaii and Kauai. Seeds are spread by feral pigs, birds and humans. The vine can also be found all across the highlands of New Guinea and Tasmania.

References

External links

Purdue University (United States)
- Banana passionfruit * Passiflora Edible fruits Crops originating from the Americas Crops originating from Ecuador Crops originating from Peru Plant common names