Passiflora discophora is a species of plant In the family Passifloraceae, native to western Ecuador and Colombia. It is restricted to closed wet coastal forest, and considered endangered due to the rapid ongoing deforestation of Ecuador's coast.
Description Vegetative characteristics Passiflora discophora is a liana. The branched tendrils form adhesive pads at the apex. The leaves are relatively small.Rhyner, S. (n.d.). P. discophora. Passiflora. Retrieved February 22, 2025, from http://www.passiflora.li/index2.htm?/meine_sammlung/discophora/discophora.htm Generative characteristics The flowers are 4 cm wide.Passiflora discophora P.M.Jørg. & Lawesson. (n.d.). Passionsblumen. Retrieved February 22, 2025, from https://www.passionsblumen.info/discophora/ Adhesive pads It is highly unusual among the genus Passiflora in regard of its climbing strategy. Unlike most other members of the genus, it forms branched tendrils with terminal adhesive pads. After surface contact of the tendrils, multiple adhesive pads are formed by papillate cell proliferation of the apex and a callus is formed, which perfectly reflects the microtopology of the substrate. In addition adhesive substances are secreted, which ensures persisting anchorage even after the tissue has died. The tendrils coil after adhesion, providing a firm support to the climbing plant.Bohn, H. F., Günther, F., Fink, S., & Speck, T. (2015). "A passionate free climber: structural development and functional morphology of the adhesive tendrils in Passiflora discophora." International Journal of Plant Sciences, 176(3), 294-305. The functional principles of these structures have been used as inspiration for engineering of similar materials.Bos, C. (2019). "Micromechanical characterization of heterogeneous materials, statistical analysis of nanoindentation data." Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)Würdemann, R. "Report 2013" Freiburger Materialforschungszentrum.Speck, T., Speck, O., Masselter, T., Bohn, H., & Mülhaupt, R. (2013, June). "Plants as concept generators for biomimetic self-healing and self-adaptive materials, structures and surfaces." In ICSHM 2013: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Self-Healing Materials, Ghent, Belgium, June 16-20, 2013. Ghent University; Delft University of Technology.
Taxonomy It was published by Peter Møller Jørgensen and Jonas Erik Lawesson in 1987.Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.-ab). Passiflora discophora P. Jørg. & Lawesson. Tropicos. Retrieved February 22, 2025, from https://tropicos.org/name/24200498 It is placed in the subgenus Passiflora subg. Deidamioides.Vecchia, M. (n.d.). Passiflora discophora Jørgensen & Lawesson (1987). Passiflora. Retrieved February 22, 2025, from https://www.passiflora.it/discophora-/207/eng/ Etymology The specific epithet discophora refers to the adhesive pads of the tendrils.
Ecology The fruits are eaten by birds, which disperse the seeds.MBG: Photo essays. (n.d.). Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved February 22, 2025, from http://www.mobot.org/mobot/photoessays/photoessay.asp?fldrloc=passiflora&imgorder=0004
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