Morfoanatomia de folhas e caules de Passiflora edulis Sims, Passifloraceae

Abstract

Passiflora edulis Sims, vegetal species employed in the Brazilian traditional medicine and broadly cultivated across its territory, has its leaves and stems often used as an adulterant for commercial samples of the crude drug Passiflora alata Curtis, officially known in Brazil as ”maracujá”. Morphoanatomic data from leaves and stems in P. edulis were described and documented. Amongst these characteristics, the shape of the foliar blade, the shape of the midrib in transverse section, the number and the location of the extrafloral nectaries and the indumentum are all emphasized.