Diagnostic description ²

Tetrapterys inaequalis Cav., Diss. 433. 1790.

Fig. 123. H-N

Synonyms: Tetrapterys paniculata Bello

Tetrapterys citrifolia sensu Alain, non (Sw.) Pers.

Woody vine, twining, attainig 5-10 m in length. Stems cream-colored, cylindrical, sericeous-tomentose when young, glabrous when mature. Leaves opposite, chartaceous, elliptical oblong or ovate, 4-15 × 3-6(8.9) cm, the apex obtuse, acute, or acuminate, the base obtuse, rounded, or subcordiform, sometimes unequal, the margins undulate or entire; upper surface dark green, slightly shiny, glabrescent; lower surface dull, glabrous or puberulent, with prominent venation and usually sericeous-tomentose; petioles 0.6-1.5 cm long, sericeous-tomentose or glabrous, slightly sulcate; stipules oblong to lanceolate, 5-6 mm long, sericeous-tomentose, early deciduous, leaving an annular scar. Inflorescences formed by short branches with numerous umbels of 4 flowers; peduncles sericeous-tomentose; pedicels sericeous-tomentose, 6-9 mm long, articulated in the middle; bracts minute. Calyx of 5 green sepals, ovate, 2-3 mm long, 4 of which have a pair of glands outside at the base. Petals yellow, 5-7 mm long, the base unguiculate, orange, the limb ovate. Mericarps 2.5-3 cm long, with two pairs of wings, the distal ones ca. 20 × 5 mm, the basal ones ca. 10 × 2.5 mm.

Phenology: Collected in flower from September to November and in fruit from November to March.

Status: Native, uncommon.

Note: Sterile specimens of this species have been identified by Woodbury and treated by Liogier (1982, 1997) as Sabicea cinerea Aubl. and in the Spanish edition of this book as Sabicea sp. a. This error was apparently started by Werham (1914) who cited S. cinerea as occurring in Puerto Rico in his Monograph of the genus Sabicea. This mistake is corrected in the present edition.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 10182; 11676.

Distribution ³

Distribution: In disturbed areas like along roads and rivers and in secondary forests, at lower and middle elevations, found along the northern limestone zone. Also on Vieques; reported for St. Thomas and St. Croix (Britton and Wilson, 1924)but not confirmed; the Lesser Antilles.

Public Forest: Cambalache and Maricao.

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://collections.nmnh.si.edu/services/media.php?env=botany&irn=10223336
2. (c) Pedro Acevedo-Rodríguez, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/28435433
3. (c) Pedro Acevedo-Rodríguez, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/28435892

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