Vines and Climbing Plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

Vines and Climbing Plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands 265
point. Seeds 4-5 mm long, flattened, reniform to
oblong, dark brown, dull.
Phenology: Flowering and fruiting from
August to March.
Status: Native, rather common.
Distribution: In areas of secondary vegetation,
at lower and middle elevations. Also on Culebra,
11. LABLAB
A monospecific genus, characterized by the following species.
1. Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet, Hort. Brit. ed.
1, 481. 1826.
Fig. 106. A-F
BASIONYM: Dolichos purpureus L.
SYNONYM: Dolichos lablab L.
Chícharos, Frijol caballero, Habas de caballo,
Bona wiss, Sweet pea
Slightly woody vine, twining, attainig 3-7 m
in length. Stems slightly angular, pilose. Leaves
alternate, trifoliolate; leaflets 5-16 × 4.5-12 cm,
broadly ovate or rhombic, chartaceous, the apex
acute or acuminate, the base cuneate or truncate
on the central leaflet, unequal on the lateral ones,
the margins entire, ciliate; upper surface dull,
pubescent, with prominent venation; lower surface
with the venation reticulate, prominent,
pubescent; petiolules thickened, pubescent;
petioles 6-20 cm long, canaliculate, laterally
flattened, thickened at the base; stipules
lanceolate, ca. 5 mm long, persistent; stipels
subulate. Inflorescences of axillary
pseudoracemes, erect, up to 25 cm long, the
12. MACHAERIUM
Desecheo, Mona, Vieques, St. Croix, St. John, St.
Thomas, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda; throughout
the Neotropics.
Public Forests: Cambalache, Guánica,
Guajataca, Mona, Río Abajo, and Tortuguero.
flowers 2-3, grouped on the swellings along the
rachis; pedicels 4-5 mm long. Calyx campanulate,
green, pubescent, 6-7 mm long, the sepals 4 or 5,
unequal, lanceolate; corolla white or pale violet,
the standard rounded, 1.4-2 cm long, the wings
oblanceolate, the keel as long as the wings;
stamens 10, diadelphous; ovary flattened, the style
curved, the stigma terminal. Legume 5-10 × 2-3
cm, almost oblong, broader in the portion near
the apex, the upper margin with numerous
callosities, the apex acuminate, tardily dehiscent.
Seeds 3-5, up to 1 cm long, ovate or elliptical,
flattened, light brown, with a white funiculus.
Phenology: Flowering and fruiting throughout
the year.
Status: Exotic, naturalized, rather common.
Distribution: In disturbed areas, such as along
roadsides, on fences, and in pastures. Probably
native to Africa, found distributed throughout the
tropics. Also on Vieques, St. Croix, St. John, and
St. Thomas.
Public Forests: El Yunque Maricao, Río Abajo,
and Toro Negro.
Trees, shrubs, or scandent lianas, usually with short, prehensile branches, spiny and with red
latex. Leaves alternate, imparipinnate; leaflets alternate; stipels absent; stipules spinescent, persistent.
Inflorescences of axillary or terminal racemes or panicles; bracts minute; bracteoles broadly ovate,
paired at the base of the calyx. Calyx asymmetrically campanulate, 5-lobate or subtruncate; corolla
violet-pink, white, or yellow, the standard rounded or reniform, narrowed at the base, the wings and
the keel subequal; stamens 10, diadelphous or monadelphous; ovary short-stipitate, with 1-2 ovules,
the style curved, the stigma punctiform or capitate. Fruit an indehiscent legume, usually samaroid,
with a terminal wing, or flattened, straight, curved, or in the form of a half-moon, circular in outline,
without a wing, or the wing reduced; seeds solitary, reniform, ovate, or orbicular. A genus of about 130
species, the majority of the New World tropics.