Vines and Climbing Plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

410
Vines and Climbing Plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
3a. Stems 8-10 cm in diameter; spathe short-stipitate, ca. 45 cm long, thick, green on the outer surface,
white on the inner surface …………………………………………...…2. P. giganteum
3b. Stems 2-2.5 cm in diameter; spathe ca. 18 cm long, long-stipitate, moderately thick, whitish on the
outer surface, maroon on the inner surface ...…………………………….……5. P. ornatum
4a. Leaves oblong or lanceolate ...…………………………………………..…1. P. consanguineum
4b. Leaves cordiform ……….........…………........................….....…………….…3. P. hederaceum
1. Philodendron consanguineum Schott, Syn.
Aroid. 88. 1856.
Fig. 168. A-B
SYNONYMS: Philodendron krebsii Schott
Philodendron angustatum Schott
Philodendron marginatum Urb.
Bejuco de calabazón, Rasca garganta
Non-woody vine, glabrous, that climbs by
means of aerial roots and attains 10-30 m in
length. Stems flexible, cylindrical, with an
annular scar in the area of the node, attaining up
to 2 cm in diameter and producing scarce watery
and caustic latex when wounded; bark smooth,
dark brown or grayish, membranaceous,
exfoliating easily. Leaves alternate, oblong or less
frequently lanceolate, coriaceous, 13.5-35 × 7.5-
17.5 cm, the apex acute or acuminate, the base
cordiform; upper surface shiny, with a broad
midvein; lower surface yellowish green, shiny,
with the midvein prominent and the secondary
venation darker; petioles cylindrical, as long as
the blade, with a winged margin on the lower half.
Inflorescence axillary, solitary; spathe almost
cylindrical, 9-13 cm long, erect, greenish, the
spadix sessile.
Phenology: Collected in flower in February
and March and in fruit in June.
Status: Native, rather common.
Distribution: In moist forests at lower to
middle elevations. Also on St. Thomas; Cuba and
Hispaniola.
Public Forests: El Yunque, Guilarte, Maricao,
Río Abajo, and Susúa.
2. Philodendron giganteum Schott, Syn. Aroid.
89. 1856.
Fig. 169. A-D
Terrestrial or epiphytic herb, erect or
sometimes creeping, attainig 8 m in length. Stems
cylindrical, 8-10 cm in diameter, producing
watery latex when wounded. Cataphylls up to 60
cm long, decomposing into persistent fibers.
Leaves 25-60 × 17-50 cm, lanceolate or triangularlanceolate,
coriaceous, the apex obtuse to acute,
the base cordiform, the lobes not overlapping;
lower surface slightly pale; petioles erect, almost
cylindrical, attaining up to 1 m in length.
Inflorescence axillary, solitary; peduncles robust,
6-9 cm long; spathe 14-21 cm long, convolute,
constricted in the central part, greenish outside,
with the base pink-burgundy, white on the inner
surface; spadix sessile, robust, as long as the
spathe, the staminal portion whitish and the
pistillate portion greenish yellow. Berries yellow
or orange.
Phenology: Collected in flower from February
to April.
Status: Native, not very common.
Distribution: Occasional in moist forests at
the base of mogotes in the northern limestone
zone. Also on St. John, St. Thomas, and Tortola;
Hispaniola, the Lesser Antilles, Trinidad, and
Venezuela.
Public Forests: El Yunque and Río Abajo.
3. Philodendron hederaceum (Jacq.) Schott,
Wiener Zeitschr. Kunst 1829: 780. 1829.
Fig. 168. C-D
BASIONYM: Arum hederaceum Jacq.
SYNONYMS: Philodendron scandens Koch & Sello
Philodendron micans Klotzsch ex Koch
Philodendron oxycardium sensu Britton non Schott
Philodendron isertianum Schott
Paisaje
Non-woody vine, glabrous, that climbs by
means of aerial roots and attains 10 m in length.
Stems cylindrical and smooth, producing watery
and caustic latex when wounded; juvenile stems
flexuous, with short internodes (ca. 10 cm); adult