Vines and Climbing Plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

Vines and Climbing Plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands 61
5, inserted, the anthers concrescent around the
stigma, the filaments united to the corolla; ovary
superior, with 5 glandular nectarines at the base;
carpels 2, free at the base, united at the apex by a
style in common. Fruits of 2 cylindrical follicles;
seeds numerous, with a tuft of long hairs at the
apex. A neotropical genus of approximately 35
species.
1. Echites agglutinata Jacq., Enum. Syst. Pl. 13.
1760.
Fig. 20. A-F
SYNONYM: Prestonia agglutinata (Jacq.) Woodson
Babeiro
Herbaceous vine, twining, 1-5 m in length,
with watery latex. Stems green, cylindrical,
slender, lenticellate, becoming hollow on drying.
Leaves opposite; blades 4-19 × 3-9 cm, oval, ovate,
rounded, or sometimes lanceolate, glabrous,
chartaceous, the apex obtuse, acute, shortacuminate,
or subrounded and mucronate, the base
obtuse, rounded, or truncate, lacking glands and
4. FORSTERONIA
usually asymmetrical, the margins entire or
undulate, revolute; upper surface dull green; lower
surface pale green, dull, with a prominent
midvein; petioles 0.5-4 cm long, canaliculate,
pubescent; stipules intrapetiolar and interpetiolar,
minute, acicular. Flowers in small axillary or
terminal cymes. Calyx green, 2-3 mm long, with
5 ovate lobes, ca. 2 mm long; corolla
infundibuliform, the tube greenish or creamcolored,
4-6 mm long, with 4 ribs, pilose inside,
the limb pale yellow or cream-colored, with 5
oblong lobes, reflexed, 2-4 mm long. Follicles
linear, 10-25 cm long, divaricate when mature;
seeds numerous, 5-7 mm long, light brown, with
cream-colored, silky hairs.
Phenology: Flowering from May to December
and fruiting from June to March.
Status: Native, quite common.
Distribution: Abundant in thickets and coastal
forests. Also on Desecheo, Mona, Vieques,
Anegada, St. Croix, St. John, St. Thomas, and
Tortola; Hispaniola.
Public forests: Guánica, Maricao, Mona,
Piñones, Río Abajo, and Susúa.
Twining vines or rarely subshrubs, with abundant milky latex. Leaves opposite or whorled in groups
of 3 or 4; petiolate; blade simple, usually with domatia in the axils of the secondary veins, the midvein
usually with glands at the base; stipules minute, intrapetiolar or interpetiolar. Flowers bisexual,
actinomorphic, in axillary or terminal corymbiform or paniculiform cymes. Calyx of 5 sepals; corolla
hypocrateriform or campanulate, with 5 lobes; stamens 5, inserted or exserted, the anthers concrescent
around the stigma, with or without apical appendages; ovary superior, with 5 glandular nectarines at
the base; carpels 2, free or rarely united, the stigma fusiform or subcapitate. Fruits of 2 slender follicles;
seeds numerous, truncate, with a tuft of long hairs at the apex. A neotropical genus of about 50 species.
1. Forsteronia portoricensis Woodson, Ann.
Missouri Bot. Gard. 21: 618. 1934.
Fig. 19. A-F
SYNONYM: Forsteronia corymbosa sensu Britton & P. Wilson
Bejuco de San Juan, Sanjuanera,
Leche de perra
Woody vine, twining, much branched from the
base, 7-15 m in length, with abundant creamcolored
latex. Stems dark brown, glabrous,
cylindrical, lenticellate. Leaves opposite; blades
4-8 × 1.8-3.8 cm, elliptical or broadly elliptical,
coriaceous, glabrous, the apex acute, the base
obtuse or rounded, the margins entire, slightly
undulate, revolute; upper surface dark green,
shiny, with a slightly prominent midvein, without
glands; lower surface yellowish green, shiny, with
a prominent midvein, domatia absent; petioles 5-
7 mm long, slightly winged or sulcate; stipules
interpetiolar, minute, brown, acicular. Flowers in
terminal corymbiform cymes, 3-8 cm wide;
pedicels pink, 7-12 mm long, with a pair of minute
bracteoles at the base. Calyx cardinal red,
glabrous, the sepals ovate, free to the base, 1.5-
1.7 mm long, ciliate; corolla cardinal red,
infundibuliform, 5-6 mm long, the lobes oblong,