Vines and Climbing plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

Scleria secans (L.) Urb., Symb. Antill. 2(2):169. 1900.

Fig. 173. F-G

Basionym: Schoenus secans L.

Perennial herb, rhizomatous, climbing, attainig 5-10 m in length. Culms branched in the distal portion, acutely triquetrous, retrorsely spinulose on the corners, distally hirsute. Leaves alternate, linear, 10-40 × 0.2-0.7 cm, nearly flat or pleated, attenuate at the apex, the upper surface hirsute at the base, the lower surface sparsely hirsute to glabrous, retrorsely scabrous along the midvein and the margins; leaf sheath scaberulous on the angles. Inflorescences of few spikelets, composed of a terminal panicle and 1-3 axillary panicles that are borne from the ultimate leaf; terminal panicle 2.5-6 cm long; the lateral ones shorter. Staminate spikelets shorter than the pistillate ones; sterile scales 4, ovate or ovatelanceolate, 2.5-6 mm long, light or dark brown, reddish or blackish on the margins. Achenes ovoid or oblong-ovoid, rounded at the apex, appressedpubescent, 2.8-4 mm long, white, sometimes with greenish spots; hypogynium discoid, obscurely trilobate, 0.3-1 mm long, the lobes entire, reflexed.

Phenology: Collected in flower and fruit from October to May.

Status: Native, uncommon.
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Lasiacis sorghoidea (Desv.) Hitchc., Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 18(7): 338. 1917.

Fig. 183. A-D

Basionym: Panicum sorghoideum Desv.

Synonyms: Panicum divaricatum L. var. lanatum Schltdl. & Cham.

Panicum fuscum Sieber ex Griseb.

Lasiacis swartziana (Hitchc.) Hitchc.

Perennial herb; culms 1-10 m in length, erect, decumbent, or scandent. Leaves distichous; leaf sheath pubescent, papillose or hispid; ligule (0.3)0.5-1.5(-2.6) mm long; blades lanceolate, ovate or linear, flattened, (6-)9-19(-23) cm ×(6)12-34(46) mm, smooth, pubescent on the upper surface. Inflorescences ovate; primary axis (5-)9-25(-35) cm long; secondary axes 4-9 cm long, appressed or spreading. Spikelets solitary, obovoid or ellipsoid, (3-)3.4-4.1 × 2.5-3.2 mm; lower glumes (1.2-)1.5-2.1 mm long, 7-11-veined; upper glumes 3-4.3 mm long, 9-13-veined.

Phenology: Collected in fertile condition from November to April.

Status: Native, locally common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 3844; 3853; Britton, N.L. 6450; Chase, A. 6218; 6419; 6457; 6728; 6760; 6809; Heller, A.A. 4375; Hess, W.E. 75; Holm 74; Shafer, J.A. 2570; Sintenis, P. 2861; 3062.
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Lasiacis divaricata (L.) Hitchc., Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 15: 16. 1910.

Fig. 182. E-G

Basionym: Panicum divaricatum L.

Synonyms: Panicum bambusoides Desv. ex Ham.

Lasiacis harrisii Nash

Perennial herb; culms 0.5-5 m in length, erect or scandent; brittle, cylindrical, up to 6 mm in diameter. Leaves distichous; leaf sheath glabrous; ligule 0.2-0.6 mm long; blades lanceolate to linear, flattened, (3-)5-12(-16) cm long by (3-)6-14(20)mm wide, glabrous except for some hairs on the midvein. Inflorescences ovate; primary axis 2-12(20) cm long; secondary axes 2-8(12) cm long. Spikelets solitary, obovoid, (3.5)3.7-4.3 × 2.1-2.6 mm; lower glumes 1.4-2 mm long, 7-11-veined; upper glumes 3.5-4.5 mm long, 9-11-veined.

Phenology: Collected in fertile condition from September to February.

Status: Native, rather common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 213; 825; 1886; 2288; 2415; 2638; 2681; 3169; 3795; 5218; 5247; 6984; 7155; 10488; 10574; 10931; 11429; Barrett 9; Britton, N.L. 2623; Chase, A. 6224; 6225; 6335; 6365; 6379; 6420; 6521; 6532; 6543; 6560; 6578; 6587; 6610; 6683; 6726; 6742; 6782; 6814; Edelman, D.K. 2; Hess, W.E. 454; Otero, J. 255; Sintenis, P. 2470; Underwood, L.M. 144.
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Olyra latifolia L., Syst. Nat. ed. 10, 1261. 1759.

Fig. 183. E-H

Perennial herb; culms erect or climbing, 1-6m in length, 3-12 mm in diameter, brittle, hollow inside, with numerous branches from the middle and upper nodes; nodes somewhat collapsed, pilose or glabrous. Leaf sheath pilose or glabrous; auricles up to 5 mm long; ligules 0.7-5 mm long; blades lanceolate to ovate, 10-32 × 3-11 cm, the base obtuse or subcordate, the apex acuminate. Panicles pyramidal, 7-20 × 4-14 cm, on peduncles ca. 15 cm long.

Phenology: Collected in fertile condition in October and January.

Status: Native, locally common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 5123; 5153; 5246; 7156; Axelrod, F. 5080; Chase, A. 6175; 6200; 6334; 6416; 6570; 6645; 6732; Heller, A.A. 4583; McKee 10601; Sintenis, P. 138; 2396; 4764; Soderstrom, T.R. 1802; Stimson 1229; Wetmore 172.
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