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. Passiflora murucuja L., Sp. Pl. 957. 1753.
Fig. 134. G-J
Slightly woody vine, glabrous, attainig 2-5 m
in length and climbs by means of axillary tendrils.
Stems angular, striate. Leaves alternate, bilobate
(in the form of a boomerang), with the lateral lobes
1.5-2 times longer than the apex, these up to 4
cm long, rounded and retuse at the apex, forming
an angle of divergence of 108-160° between them
(sometimes the central apex projecting like a small
lobe), chartaceous, with 3 main veins from the
base, the base cuneate, obtuse. or rounded, the
margins entire; upper surface dull, glabrous; lower
surface pale green, dull, glabrous, with prominent
venation and a line of circular glands along the
acroscopic side of the lobes; petioles 1-1.5 cm
long, glabrous, without glands; stipules linearfiliform,
2-4 mm long; tendrils simple. Flowers
solitary or in pairs, axillary; peduncle 1-2.5 cm
long, glabrous, articulated below the middle;
bracts minute, below the articulation of the
peduncle. Calyx tubular, brilliant red, 3-4 cm
long, the sepals oblong, connate at the base; petals
long-deltate, brilliant red, 1-2 cm long; corona
tubular, brilliant red, 1-1.5 cm long, crenate or
entire at the apex; stamens 5; ovary ovoid,
glabrous. Fruit a fleshy berry, globose, 1-1.5 cm
in diameter, black-purple when ripe. Seeds
numerous, ovate, transversely sulcate, ca. 2.5 mm
long.
Phenology: Flowering and fruiting throughout
the year.
Status: Native, extremely rare in Puerto Rico.
Distribution: Known from the mogotes in the
zone of Quebradillas. Also in Hispaniola.
Public Forests: Guajataca and Río Abajo.
9. Passiflora quadrangularis L., Syst. Nat. ed.
10, 1248. 1759.
Fig. 135. A
Granadilla
Slightly woody or herbaceous vine, glabrous,
attainig 3-5 m in length and climbs by means of
axillary tendrils. Stems trigonal or quadrangular,
the angles winged, becoming cylindrical when
mature. Leaves alternate, glabrous, chartaceous
or membranaceous, 10-20 × 8-15 cm, broadly
elliptical or broadly ovate, not lobate, rounded
toward the abruptly acuminate apex, the base
rounded, subtruncate, or cordiform, the margins
entire; lower surface with the pinnate venation
prominent; petioles 2-5 cm long, thick,
canaliculate, with three pairs of sessile glands;
stipules ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 2-3.5 cm long;
tendrils simple. Flowers solitary, pendulous,
axillary, subtended by a persistent involucre of 3
ovate bracts, 3-5 cm long; peduncle 1.5-3 cm long,
trigonal. Sepals ovate or oblong-ovate, 3-4 cm
long, white, violet, or pink on the inner surface,
green externally; petals oblong-ovate to oblonglanceolate,
white with a pink tinge, 3-4.5 cm long;
corona multiseriate, the segments filiform, as long
as the sepals, with red-violet and white bands at
the base, blue in the middle, and with numerous
pink-blue spots above the middle; gynophore
thick; stamens 5; ovary ovoid. Fruit a fleshy berry,
oblong-ovoid, 20-30 × 12-15 mm, green, with
three longitudinal furrows. Seeds numerous,
cordiform or almost circular, 7-10 mm long,
reticulate.
Phenology: Collected in flower from March
to September.
Status: Exotic, cultivated and naturalized,
uncommon.
Distribution: In disturbed areas. Also on St.
Croix; of uncertain origin, cultivated throughout
the Neotropics for its edible fruits.
10. Passiflora rubra L., Sp. Pl. 956. 1753.
Fig. 135. B-D.
Parcha colorada, Flor de pasión,
Bat wings
Herbaceous vine, that climbs by means of
axillary tendrils and attains 2-5 m in length. Stems
angular, almost triangular, pilose, striate,
attaining 5 mm wide, with many lateral branches.
Leaves alternate, simple, bilobate or less
frequently with a third lobe in a central position,
4-12 × 4-12 cm, chartaceous, pubescent, with
three main veins that are borne from the base,
the lobes acute, divergent, mucronate, the base
cordiform, the margins entire; lower surface with
the veins prominent, with a reddish tonality;
petioles 2-4 cm long, pubescent, with a reddish
tonality, without glands; stipules subulate,
pubescent, ca. 5 mm long; tendrils simple,
pubescent, up to 20 cm long. Flowers axillary,