any passifloraceous plant of the tropical American genus Passiflora, cultivated for their red, yellow, greenish, or purple showy flowers: some species have edible fruit
See also granadilla
Word origin
C17: so called from the alleged resemblance between parts of the flower and the instrumentsof Christ's crucifixion
passionflower in American English
(ˈpæʃənˌflaʊər)
noun
1.
any of a genus (Passiflora) of mostly climbing plants of the passionflower family, with red, yellow, green, white, or purple flowers and usually small, edible, yellow or purple, egg-shaped fruit
adjective
2.
designating a family (Passifloraceae, order Violales) of mostly tendril-climbing, tropical, dicotyledonousplants, including the maypop
Word origin
from the supposed resemblance of parts of the flowers to Jesus' wounds, crown of thorns,etc.