Passion Flower
Christian missionaries landed in South America in the sixteenth century, and found a plant which seemed to be a good omen for the success of their mission. They called it the passion flower because they thought that it symbolized the death of Christ. The five sepals and five petals of the flower, which are similar in appearance, represent the disciples without Peter and Judas. The double row of coloured filaments, known as the corona, signify the halo around Christ's head or the crown of thorns. The five stamens and the three spreading styles with their flattened heads symbolize the wounds and the nails respectively. The tendrils resemble the whips used to scourge Christ and the lobed leaves look similar to the clutching hands of the soldiers.
Size: 4750px × 3563px
Location: West End Woking Surrey UK
Photo credit: © John Bradshaw / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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