Vines and Climbing Plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

368
Vines and Climbing Plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
2. Cardiospermum grandiflorum Sw., Prod. 64.
1788.
Fig. 149. H-K
Slightly woody vine, with numerous lateral
branches, that climbs by means of tendrils and
attains 5-8 m in length. Stems almost cylindrical,
striate, glabrous; cross section with a single
vascular cylinder. Leaves alternate, biternate;
leaflets chartaceous, glabrous except for some
hairs on the veins, the margins deeply serrate;
terminal leaflet rhombic, 4.5-8 × 2-4 cm, the apex
acute or acuminate, the base cuneate or attenuate;
lateral leaflets oblong-lanceolate, 2.7-7 × 1.3-3
cm, the apex acute or acuminate, the base obtuse
or attenuate; rachis and petiole not winged,
canaliculate; petioles 1-5 cm long; stipules
minute, early deciduous; tendrils in pairs, spirally
twisted, at the end of short axillary axes (aborted
inflorescences), from which an inflorescence
usually develops. Flowers functionally unisexual,
zygomorphic, in axillary racemiform thyrses;
cincinni more than 4, usually in more than one
whorl. Calyx light green, of 4 sepals, the two outer
ones ca. 1.7-3 mm long, the inner ones ca. 5-8
mm long; petals white, obovate, 6-9 mm long;
petaliferous appendages slightly shorter than the
petals, fleshy and yellow at the apex, forming a
hood that encloses the apex of the glands of the
disc; disc unilateral, with 2 elongate glands,
corniform, whitish, 1.2-2 mm long; stamens 8,
the filaments unequal, glabrous or pubescent;
ovary ovoid or ellipsoid, villous, with one style
and 3 stigmas. Capsule membranaceous, inflated,
ellipsoid or ovoid, 3-5.5 cm long, stramineous
when ripe. Seed one per locule, spherical, black,
4-5.5 mm in diameter, with a white, obtusetriangular
hilum.
Phenology: Collected in flower in December
and in fruit in February.
Status: Exotic, cultivated and locally
naturalized in Puerto Rico, not very common.
Distribution: Naturalized at the Experimental
Station in Mayagüez. Reported for St. Croix and
St. Thomas. Native to the Neotropics, apparently
introduced in the tropics of the Old World.
Cultivated for its curious capsules.
3. Cardiospermum halicacabum L., Sp. Pl. 366.
1753.
Fig. 149. A-G
Herbaceous vine, much branched from the
base, that climbs by means of tendrils and attains
1.5-2 m in length. Stems with 5 longitudinal ribs,
glabrous or puberulent; cross section with a single
vascular cylinder. Leaves alternate, biternate;
leaflets chartaceous, puberulent or sparsely
pubescent, the apex obtuse, acute, or acuminate,
the base attenuate, the margins lobate or laciniate;
terminal leaflet lanceolate or triangularlanceolate,
rhombic or narrowly lanceolate in
outline, 2-3.5(5) cm long; lateral leaflets ovate,
lanceolate, or oblong in outline, 1-2.5 cm long;
rachis and petiole not winged; petioles 2-3 cm
long; stipules lanceolate, ca. 5 mm long; tendrils
in pairs, spirally twisted, at the end of short
axillary axes (aborted inflorescences), from which
an inflorescence usually develops. Flowers
functionally unisexual, zygomorphic, in axillary
racemiform thyrses, shorter than the
accompanying leaf; cincinni usually in whorls of
3. Calyx light green, of 4 unequal sepals, the outer
ones ca. 1.2 mm long, the inner ones 3-3.5 mm
long. Petals white, obovate, 2.5-3.5 mm long;
petaliferous appendages slightly shorter than the
petals, fleshy and yellow at the apex, forming a
hood that encloses the apex of the glands of the
disc; disc unilateral, with 4 rounded or ovoid
glands, ca. 0.4 mm long; stamens 8, the filaments
unequal, pubescent; ovary trilocular, with one
style and 3 stigmas. Capsule membranaceous,
subglobose or turbinate-trigonal, inflated,
stramineous when ripe. Seed one per locule,
spherical, black, 3-5 mm in diameter, with a white
cordiform hilum.
Key to the varieties
1. Capsules subglobose, as long as wide, 2.5-3.5
cm long, with the apex retuse...................
…...........C. halicacabum var. halicacabum
1. Capsules turbinate-trigonal, wider than long,
0.8-1.5 cm long, with the apex truncate............
............. C. halicacabum var. microcarpum
3a. Cardiospermum halicacabum var.
halicacabum L.
Distinguished by its larger, subglobose fruits
(see the key).
Phenology: Collected in flower and fruit in
December and March.