Vines and Climbing Plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

Vines and Climbing Plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands 413
stems up to 2 cm in diameter, the internodes
elongate and with nodes that present an annular
scar; the lateral branches pendulous. Cataphylls
up to 12 cm long, caducous. Leaves broadly ovate,
coriaceous, 14-30 × 10-20 cm, the apex acuminate
to cuspidate, the base cordiform, the margins
entire or slightly undulate, pale; upper surface
dull, sometimes glaucous, with the midvein
prominent and broadened; lower surface yellowish
green, dull, with the midvein and some of the
lateral veins prominent; petioles arcuate or
ascendant, 10-15 cm long, almost cylindrical.
Inflorescence axillary, solitary, ascendant;
peduncles robust, 5-9 cm long; spathe persistent,
ca. 15 cm long, thick, convolute, almost
cylindrical, yellowish outside and reddish inside
when mature; spadix almost sessile, cylindrical,
robust, whitish, as long as the spathe.
Phenology: Collected in flower from May to
August.
Status: Native, locally common.
Distribution: Abundant in moist forests at
lower to middle elevations. Also on St. John, St.
Thomas, and Tortola. Of widespread distribution
in the Neotropics.
Public Forests: Carite, El Yunque, Guilarte,
Maricao, Río Abajo, and Toro Negro.
4. Philodendron lingulatum (L.) C. Koch, Index
Sem. Hort. Berol. App. 4[13]. 1853.
Fig. 170. A
BASIONYM: Arum lingulatum L.
Bejuco de calabaza, Calabazón cimarrón
Non-woody vine, glabrous, that climbs by
means of aerial roots and attains 15 m or more in
length. Stems flexible, cylindrical, dark green,
sulcate along one side, 0.5-2.5 cm in diameter,
producing scarce watery latex when wounded;
epidermis exfoliating easily. Leaves simple,
elliptical or ovate, subcoriaceous, 13-42 × 7-28
cm, the apex acute or abruptly acuminate, the base
cordiform, subcordiform, cuneate, or truncate;
upper surface semi-shiny, with a broad midvein;
lower surface semi-shiny, with the midvein
prominent and the secondary venation lighter;
petiole winged (except for the distal portion), 12-
48 cm long, shorter or longer than the blade.
Inflorescence axillary, solitary or sometimes
paired; spathe cylindric-urceolate at the base, 10-
23.5 × 2.9-5.3 cm, erect, light green or whitish
on the inner surface, dark green outside; spadix
stipitate, 8.7-21.2 cm long, the fertile staminate
portion 0.9-1.7 in length, white to cream-colored,
the sterile portion 0.6-1.3 cm long, the pistillate
portion 2.1-4.7 cm long. Fruit and seeds unknown.
Phenology: Collected in flower from May to
July.
Status: Native, not very common.
Distribution: In wet and rain forests, in the
Cordillera Central, the Sierra de Luquillo, and
the zone of mogotes. Also on Tortola; Hispaniola
and the Lesser Antilles.
Public Forests: El Yunque, Guilarte, and Rio
Abajo.
5. Philodendron ornatum Schott, Oesterr. Bot.
Wochenbl. 3: 378. 1853.
Fig. 170. B-C
Slightly woody vine, glabrous, that climbs by
means of aerial roots and attains 2-10 m in length.
Stems cylindrical and smooth, with watery and
caustic sap; stems 2-2.5 cm in diameter, the
internodes elongate, the nodes with an annular
scar. Cataphylls ca. 24 cm long, persistent. Leaves
cordiform, chartaceous, glabrous, 32-60 × 24-46
cm, the apex acuminate, the base deeply cordate,
the margins undulate, slightly revolute; upper
surface dull, dark green, the midvein and the
secondary veins sunken; lower surface pale, with
the midvein and the lateral veins prominent and
reddish; petioles ascendant, 14-42 cm long,
flattened along the upper surface, pulvinate in the
apical portion, the pulvinule with small tubercles
or protuberances. Inflorescence axillary, in groups
of three, ascendant; peduncles robust, 11-13 cm
long; spathe persistent, 16-18 cm long, thick,
convolute, almost infundibuliform in outline
(slightly constricted below the middle), aristate
at the apex, whitish with a pink tinge outside,
and cardinal red inside when mature; spadix
cylindric-ellipsoid, robust, cream-colored, almost
as long as the spathe.
Phenology: Collected in flower in August.
Status: Apparently introduced, naturalized in
the area of Guajataca.
Distribution: Rare, at the base of mogotes with
abundant organic soil. Native to South America,
Venezuela, Trinidad, Tobago, Surinam, and
Brazil.
Public Forest: Guajataca.