THE EDIBLE PASSION FRUIT IN HAWAII 21 
cultivated in the West Indies and Colombia. Wester (16, p. 7) re- 
ports its cultivation in Brazil and Ecuador for its aromatic, palatable 
pulp. Grisebach (6, p. 293), who made a considerable study of 
Passiflora, describes the species botanically and gives its habitat 
as the West Indies and Xew Granada. 
The common English name probably originated from the nature 
of its fruit, the outer covering of which is hard like the shell of a 
gourd, and the specific name maliformis also has reference to the 
fruit, which is shaped like the common apple (Pyrus mains). 
DESCRIPTION 
In Hawaii the species has been grown in private gardens mainly 
for ornamental purposes for which it is conspicuously suited. Each 
bud is enclosed in a large bladdery covering formed by the three 
bracts, which, upon blooming, open and form a cream white back- 
ground for the more highly colored floral parts (fig. 7.) The Hawaii 
Experiment Station is cultivating it for use in plant-breeding work 
because the species has very prolific habits and is apparently quite 
immune to the attacks of certain insect pests and plant diseases 
known to infest some other passion fruit plants. It may be possible 
to develop a hybrid having these resistant qualities and a better 
fruit. The comparatively small size and hard shell of the sweet 
calabash are objectionable characters, particularly when the fruit 
is in competition with other species and varieties already being grown 
in Hawaii. 
Leaves. — The vine of the sweet calabash is relatively small and 
slender. The leaves are from 4 to 6 inches long, ovate to ovate- 
oblong, with an apex which terminates in a small, sharp, recurved 
point ; leafstalk biglandular above the middle. 
Flowers. — Tendrils and flowers arise from the axils of leaves, 
flower stalk slim, flowers about 4 inches across, attractively marked 
with tints of white, purple, and blue ; sepals prominently keeled be- 
hind, light green, and dotted with reddish brown in front; petals 
rudimentary and essential organs (stamens and pistils) very similar 
to those of other passion fruit flowers. 
Fruit. — The fruit is oval, 1.75 inches long, light green turning to 
brownish at full maturity and rind hardening into a shell: seeds 
small, flat, and surrounded with a grayish juicy pulp of subacid 
flavor. 
