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
involute, the apex acute or acuminate, the base
subtruncate, the margins entire; upper surface
puberulent; lower surface with the midvein
prominent, barbate in the axils of the secondary
veins; petioles and petiolules pubescent, the
petioles 0.5-2 cm long. Inflorescences of axillary
cymes with numerous fragrant flowers; peduncles
3-4 cm long; pedicels 3-4 mm long, densely
pubescent. Calyx green, ca. 3 mm long,
campanulate, with 4-9 small acuminate lobes;
corolla white, hypocrateriform, 1.5-2.5 cm long,
with 4-9 lobes; stamens 2; ovary 4-lobate, the
stigma bilobate. Fruit a purple or almost black
berry, shiny, globose, 5-8 mm in diameter.
Phenology: Flowering from December to
September and fruiting from January to August.
Status: Exotic, naturalized, rather common.
Distribution: Along roads, in pastures, or in
disturbed areas. Species native to Africa but
described from material collected in Brazil.
Naturalized on Vieques, St. Croix, St. John, and
St. Thomas. Cultivated as an ornamental and
naturalized throughout the tropics.
Public Forests: Cambalache, Ceiba, and
Guánica.
2. Jasminum grandiflorum L., Sp. Pl. ed. 2, 9.
1762.
Fig. 130. E-J
Jazmín, Jazmín de España
Slightly woody vine, twining, attainig 3-5 m
in length. Stems octagonal to almost cylindrical,
slender, glabrous, puberulent in the area of the
nodes. Lateral branches numerous. Leaves
opposite, imparipinnate, 5-7 cm long; leaflets 7
or 9, opposite, 1-3 × 0.7-1.2 cm, the apex acute
or obtuse, mucronulate, the margins entire;
terminal leaflet larger than the lateral ones,
elliptical, with the base obtuse; the lateral leaflets
ovate, the base asymmetrical, obtuse, subrounded
on the basal ones, the distal ones decurrent on
the rachis; upper surface glabrous; lower surface
with the midvein prominent, glabrous to
puberulent; rachis narrowly winged; petioles
glabrous, 12-14 cm long; petiolules puberulent.
Inflorescences of axillary dichasial cymes with 3
fragrant flowers; peduncles 2-5 cm long; pedicels
8-20 mm long, glabrous, with a pair of minute
bracteoles on the middle. Calyx green, ca. 1.5 mm
long, campanulate, with 5 linear lobes, 2-4 mm
long; corolla white, hypocrateriform, 2.2-2.5 cm
long, the tube white or pink outside, the lobes 5,
elliptical, 1.5-2 cm long; stamens 2, included;
stigma bilobate, slightly exposed. Fruits not seen.
Phenology: Collected in flower during
December and January.
Status: Exotic, cultivated, uncommon.
Distribution: Although not very common, it
is cultivated in our gardens. Species native to
Arabia, but widely cultivated throughout the
tropics.
3. Jasminum multiflorum (Burm.f.) Andrews,
Bot. Repos. 8: part 102, t. 496. 1807.
Fig. 131. A-F
BASIONYM: Nyctanthes multiflora Burm. f.
SYNONYM: Jasminum pubescens (Retz.) Willd.
Jazmín, Jazmín de papel
Clambering shrub, 2-5 m in length. Stems
slender, tomentose. Leaves opposite, simple, 3-7
× 2-3.5 cm, ovate, the apex acute, the base
subtruncate or cordiform, the margins entire;
upper surface glabrous; lower surface tomentose,
especially on the veins; petioles tomentose, 6-12
mm long. Inflorescences of axillary cymes, sessile,
with numerous fragrant sessile flowers; bracts and
bracteoles densely pubescent. Calyx green, ca. 1
cm long, infundibuliform, tomentose, with
numerous linear lobes; corolla white,
hypocrateriform, ca. 2 cm long, with 4-9 oblong
lobes; stamens 2; ovary 4-lobate, the stigma
bilobate. Fruits not observed on any of the
collections from Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
Phenology: Collected in flower from October
to April.
Status: Exotic, cultivated and naturalized,
rather common.
Distribution: Native to Asia, introduced as an
ornamental, which is found naturalized in Puerto
Rico, Vieques, St. John, and throughout the
tropics.
Public Forests: Maricao, Río Abajo, and Toro
Negro.