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Adenia macrophylla var. singaporeana

- The Proof Of The Cock That Crowed Thrice ?

Adenia - it is a name that certainly does not ring a bell to most local plant-lovers, yet it is one of the loveliest fruit-bearing native liana to be found in our tropical rain forest, and bears the rare distinction of being named after our country Singapore. It's brilliant-red certainly reflects our national colour well, and if it be a bell, it would certainly toll for Christ in his Passion.

For it is here in its family Passifloraceae, that the type-genera Passiflora (Passion Flower) had been reverently named by Jesuits centuries ago when they saw - possibly Passiflora caerulea - upon stepping ashore South America in the company of the blundering Conquistadors.

They saw divine signatures written all over the plant-parts as signs of the Calvary - 3 stigmas = nails of Crucifixion, 5 anthers = 5 wounds,

corona = crown of thorns, 5 petals + 5 calyxs = 10 apostles (less Peter and Judas), and, lobed leaves and tendrils = hands and whips of the Roman soldiers. They also took it as a sign from God that the Indians were thirsting for Christianity when they later found the Indians feasting on its yellow fruits. The Jesuits were, of course, overjoyed by their discernment, but it spelt the beginning of the destruction of the Ancient meso-American (Indian) Civilization.

There are a staggering 350 species of Passiflora throughout South America, and those found in Singapore - e.g. the exquisite Passiflora laurifolia, tiny beau Passiflora suberosa and the delectable Passiflora foetida - were introduced many years ago as garden or food plants. The only native species belonging to Passifloraceae is our Adenia.

The Adenia seeds are unique too. And if I may add to the fable, the seed certainly bears the likeness of the complete head - cockscomb, beak and all - of the cock that crowed thrice ! Does this revelation proves beyond doubt that the cock certainly existed in the biblical text ? I leave it to your imagination to believe me or not !

Note: See Passiflora coccinea -- another popular vine has increasingly been introduced into the gardens in Singapore.