Photo Essay Photo Essay

Photographer: Ronald Boender

Taxonomy: Tribe Passifloreae, Passiflora discophora

Passiflora discophora, subg. Deidamioides, is a small liana that climbs using tiny adhesive disks at the tips of its tendrils in a manner similar to Boston ivy. It flowers only 5-8 feet off the ground, but climbs much higher. It is known only from a few localities in coastal Ecuador and is threatened with extinction. The beautiful fruits are eaten by birds, which disperse the seeds. Less than 4% of the moist tropical forest remains in western Ecuador.