Notice

Colin Mills, compiler of the Hortus Camdenensis, died in late November 2012 after a short illness. As he always considered the Hortus his legacy, it is his family's intention to keep the site running in perpetuity. It will not, however, be updated in the near future.

Passiflora herbertiana Ker-Gawl. var. herbertiana

Half-hardy, robust-stemmed climber with minutely hairy leaves, to 12cm wide, and solitary or paired, pale orange-yellow or greenish flowers, to 10cm across, followed by green fruit, to 5cm long.  [RHSD, Don, FNSW, Beadle].

Horticultural & Botanical History

‘The sample for the drawing came from Mr. Gowen; and had been taken from a plant in the collection at Highclere, in Hampshire; raised from seed gathered in the interior of New Holland, by Mr. Cunningham.  We have called the species after the family name of the possessor and introducer of the plant.  Comes near to Passiflora adiantifolia, figured in the second volume of this work, in respect to the flower and general habit of the shrub; but differs in the shape of the foliage.  It has the same remarkable and somewhat anomalous crown and operculum, the same keeled segments of the calyx, the same tall straight pistillum, but a shorter urceolus than adiantifolia.  Mr. Gowen says the plant grows and flowers freely, and is all but hardy.  An excellent subject for the conservatory.  Now first appearing in our collections’  [BR f.737/1823].

‘Native of New Holland, introduced a few years since: it flowers very freely in the beginning of summer and will also produce its fruit here.’  [LBC no.1364/1829].  First cultivated in Europe in 1821.  [RHSD].  

History at Camden Park

Listed in all published catalogues [T.728/1843].  This species is widespread along the coastal fringe north from Narooma [FNSW] and was probably collected locally by William Macarthur or one of his friends.

Notes

Published Jan 31, 2010 - 02:28 PM | Last updated Jul 29, 2010 - 02:49 PM

Figured are 3-lobed leaves and white flowers with prominent yellow stamens.  Botanical Register f.737, 1823.

Passiflora herbertiana Ker.-Gawl. subsp. herbertiana | BR f.737/1823 | BHL

Family Passifloraceae
Category
Region of origin

Eastern Australia, coast and ranges

Synonyms
  • Passiflora verruculosa Weinm.
  • Murucuia herbertiana (Ker-Gawl.) Sweet
  • Disemma herbertiana (Ker-Gawl.) DC.
Common Name

Australian passion fruit

Name in the Camden Park Record

Passiflora Herbertii 

Confidence level high