Vines and Climbing Plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

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Vines and Climbing Plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
8. PODRANEA
Lianas or climbing shrubs. Stems cylindrical; cross section of the mature stem with normal peripheral
phloem; interpetiolar zone not glandular; pseudostipules absent. Leaves opposite, pinnately compound,
imparipinnate, without tendrils. Flowers in terminal panicles. Calyx simple, campanulate, 5-dentate;
corolla zygomorphic, violet-pink, tubular-campanulate; stamens 4, didynamous; ovary superior, linear,
tetragonal, glabrous, with 2 locules and an annular disc at the base, the ovules 6-seriate per locule.
Fruit a linear capsule, coriaceous, with valves perpendicular to the septum; seeds numerous, with
membranaceous wings at the ends. A genus of 1 or 2 species of tropical eastern and southern Africa.
1. Podranea ricasoliana (Tanfani) Sprague in
Thiselton-Dyer, Fl. Cap. 4 (2): 450. 1904.
Fig. 46. D-G
BASIONYM: Tecoma ricasoliana Tanfani
Liana or clambering shrub, 3-4 m in length.
Stems cylindrical, smooth; cross section with
peripheral phloem not forming a cross. Leaves
opposite, imparipinnate, 7-9-foliolate, without
tendrils; leaflets 2.5-3.8 × 1.5-2.0 cm, ovate,
chartaceous, glabrous, the apex obtuse or shortacuminate,
the base truncate, cuneate, or
attenuate, the margins serrate; upper surface dull,
with the venation flat, dark; lower surface light
green, punctate, dull, with prominent venation;
rachis glabrous, marginate, petioles and petiolules
glabrous, the petioles 2.5-5 cm long, the petiolules
4-8 mm long; pseudostipules absent. Flowers in
terminal panicles; pedicels 1.5-2 cm long. Calyx
9. PYROSTEGIA
green with a pink tinge, campanulate, 1.5-2 cm
long, with 5 apiculate lobes; corolla violet-pink,
campanulate, 5-7 cm long, the tube white with
reddish purple lines, the limb ca. 5 cm in diameter,
with 5 rounded lobes, unequal, stamens inserted;
ovary glabrous. Capsule linear, coriaceous,
cylindrical, 25-30 cm long; seeds numerous, ca.
1.5 cm long, brown, with 2 marginal wings, ca. 5
mm long.
Phenology: Collected in flower from August
to May and in fruit in February.
Status: Exotic, cultivated and sometimes
naturalized.
Distribution: Native to South Africa, but
widely cultivated throughout the tropics.
Cultivated along the Cordillera Central.
Cultivated and possibly naturalized on St. Croix,
St. John, and St. Thomas.
Lianas with tendrils. Stems obtusely hexagonal or subangular with 6-8 prominences; cross section
of the mature stem with normal peripheral phloem; interpetiolar zone not glandular; pseudostipules
inconspicuous. Leaves opposite, 2-3-foliolate, with a terminal trifid tendril. Flowers in terminal or
axillary panicles. Calyx simple, crateriform, truncate or 5-denticulate, more or less glandular-lepidote;
corolla red-orange, zygomorphic, narrowly tubular-infundibuliform; stamens 4, didynamous, exserted;
ovary superior, bicarpellate, linear-tetragonal, lepidote, with an annular-pulvinate disc at the base.
Fruit a linear capsule, compressed, smooth, with the valves parallel to the septum; seeds numerous,
with 2 brown wings with hyaline margins. A genus of 3 or 4 species naturally distributed from southern
Colombia to Brazil and Paraguay.
1. Pyrostegia venusta (Ker Gawl.) Miers, Proc.
Roy. Hort. Soc. 3: 188. 1863.
Fig. 47. A-E
BASIONYM: Bignonia venusta Ker Gawl.
SYNONYM: Pyrostegia ignea (Vell.) K. Presl
Liana that climbs by tendrils, 5-7 m in length.
Stems angular to subcylindrical, striate,
puberulent or lepidote, interpetiolar zone not
glandular; cross section of the mature stem with
peripheral phloem tissue not forming a cross.
Leaves opposite, 2- or 3-foliolate, sometimes with