Vines and Climbing Plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

122
Vines and Climbing Plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
Phenology: Flowering and fruiting almost
throughout the year, especially from November
to July.
Status: Native, very common in southwestern
Puerto Rico.
5. MACFADYENA
Lianas with tendrils. Stems cylindrical or quadrangular; cross section of the mature stem with
multilobed xylem, the lobes alternating with radially arranged phloem tissue; glandular interpetiolar
zone present or absent; pseudostipules small, lanceolate to ovate. Leaves opposite, 2-foliolate, with a
terminal trifid tendril in the form of a claw. Flowers in axillary cymes or panicles. Calyx campanulate,
simple; corolla yellow, zygomorphic, tubular or campanulate; stamens 4, didynamous; ovary superior,
linear-cylindrical, with 2 locules and an annular disc at the base. Fruit a narrow capsule, elongate and
compressed, with the valves parallel to the septum; seeds numerous, with 2 wings. A genus of 4 species
of neotropical distribution.
1. Macfadyena unguis-cati (L.) A. H. Gentry,
Brittonia 25: 236. 1973.
Fig. 3. D; 45. A-C
BASIONYM: Bignonia unguis-cati L.
SYNONYMS: Batocydia unguis (L.) DC.
Doxantha unguis-cati (L.) Miers
Uña de gato, Liana uñada, Cat-claw
Woody vine, which climbs by tendrils and
attains 10-15 m in length. Stems cylindrical,
lenticellate, up to 6 cm in diameter; cross section
of the mature stem with multilobed xylem, the
lobes alternating with radially arranged phloem
tissue; nodes thickened; interpetiolar zone not
glandular. Pseudostipules ovate, ca. 5 mm long.
Leaves opposite, 2-foliolate, with a terminal
tendril, trifid like a claw, generally of short
duration; leaflets 6-16 × 1.2-7 cm, elliptical,
oblong, or obovate, chartaceous or coriaceous,
glabrous or with punctiform scales, the apex acute
or acuminate, the base acute, rounded, or unequal,
the margins undulate or rarely denticulate; upper
surface dark, shiny, with sunken venation; lower
surface light green, dull, with prominent venation;
6. MANSOA
Distribution: In forests and coastal thickets.
Also on Cayo Luis Peña, Vieques, St. Croix, and
St. Thomas; Cuba and Hispaniola.
Public forests: Cambalache, Ceiba, Guajataca,
Guánica, Río Abajo, Susúa, and Vega.
petioles 1-4.5 cm long, petiolules 0.5-2.5 cm long,
both glabrous. Flowers solitary or in pairs,
axillary; pedicel ca. 2 cm long. Calyx green,
campanulate, 12-16 mm long, with 5 unequal
lobes; corolla brilliant yellow, infundibuliform,
4-8 cm long, the limb 3-6 cm in diameter, with 5
unequal lobes, rounded; stamens 4, didynamous,
inserted; ovary covered with punctiform scales.
Capsule linear, somewhat woody, brown, 25-95
cm long; seeds numerous, 1-3.5 cm long, with 2
membranaceous wings.
Phenology: Flowering and fruiting throughout
the year.
Status: Native, very common.
Distribution: In moist forests at middle and
lower elevations, from the coast to the Cordillera
Central. Also on Culebra, Desecheo, Vieques, St.
Croix, St. John, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Virgin
Gorda; throughout the Antilles and tropical and
subtropical America.
Public forests: Cambalache, Ceiba, Desecheo,
El Yunque, Guánica, Maricao, Río Abajo, Susúa,
Toro Negro, and Vega.
Lianas with tendrils. Stems cylindrical or subquadrangular; cross section of the mature stem with a
cross of 4 or 8 dark arms formed by the phloem tissue; interpetiolar zone glandular or not; pseudostipules
short, conical-obtuse. Leaves opposite, 2- or 3-foliolate, with a terminal trifid or simple tendril; petioles
sometimes with an apical glandular zone. Flowers in terminal panicles or racemes or in axillary corymbs.
Calyx crateriform, tubular, or campanulate, simple, truncate or 5-dentate; corolla white, lilac, purple,
or reddish, zygomorphic, tubular-campanulate or infundibuliform; stamens 4, didynamous; ovary