Abstract A varietal description should help to resolve the conflicts of identification that may arise in the registration and protection of cultivars. The objective of this study was to evaluate the discriminatory capacity and to select minimum descriptors for the characterization and evaluation of yellow passion fruit varieties (Passiflora edulis Sims f. flavicarpa Deg.). Twenty quantitative and eight qualitative descriptors related to plant, leaves, flowers and fruits traits were analyzed in 24 genotypes of yellow passion fruit. The quantitative descriptors were subjected to a principal components analysis, and the selection of descriptors was based on direct selection and Singh method, whereas the qualitative descriptors were analyzed by correlation. Eight quantitative descriptors were discarded by direct selection, and seven were discarded using Singh method. However, only four descriptors common to both methods were considered to be redundant. Of the eight qualitative descriptors evaluated, two were discarded because they were correlated with the others. Therefore, the list of minimum descriptors to describe yellow passion fruit varieties can be composed of 22 descriptors, 16 quantitative and six qualitative, with a high contribution to the total variance and low correlation with the others. There was no loss of information with the elimination of those descriptors. In addition to the smaller number of descriptors providing valuable information, it will also allow a reduction in the labor, time and resources spent in the characterization of new varieties of yellow passion fruit.