Vines and Climbing plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

Epipremnum pinnatum (L.) Engler, Pflanzenr. Iv (23B) 37: 60. 1908.

Fig. 166. A-C

Basionym: Pothos pinnata L.

Synonym: Philodendron nechodomi Britt.

Non-woody vine, glabrous, that climbs by means of aerial roots and attains 6-8 m in length. Stems flexible, cylindrical, green, with a papyraceous epidermis, up to 3 cm in diameter, producing scarce watery latex when cut. Leaves alternate, chartaceous, dimorphic, the juvenile leaves entire, the adult leaves pendulous, pinnately compound, up to 50 x 30 cm, the apex terminating in a leaflet or acuminate segment, the base asymmetrical, subcordiform; upper surface dull, glabrous, the venation flat; lower surface dull, with prominent venation, with a line of domatia on both sides of the midvein, this sometimes with small spiniform outgrowths; petioles up to 35 cm long, marginate along their length. Inflorescence axillary, solitary, erect; spathe almost cylindrical, up to 18 cm long, opening along one side, fleshy, yellowish, acuminate at the apex, deciduous; spadix sessile, more or less cylindrical, 12-15 cm long.

Phenology: Collected in flower and fruit in January and February.

Status: Exotic, cultivated although uncommon.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 7141; 10838; 11260; Howard, R.A. 16921.
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Syngonium podophyllum Schott, Bot. Zeitung(Berlin) 9: 85. 1851.

Fig. 171. A-C

Vine attainig 10 m in length, climbing by means of adventitious roots that it produces in the area of the nodes. Stems cylindrical, glaucous, 1-2 cm in diameter, producing milky latex when wounded. Juvenile plants with hastate leaves; adult plants with dimorphic leaves, the basal leaves hastate, the distal leaves digitate, with 3-11 leaflets, coriaceous, united or free at the base, the basal leaflets smaller and auriculate at the base, the middle leaflets 16-38 × 6-17 cm, obovate, elliptical, or lanceolate, with the apex acuminate; petioles 15-60 cm long, almost cylindrical. Inflorescences in groups of 4-11, ascendant; peduncles 8-9 cm long, slender; spathe ca. 10 cm long, convolute at the base to form a tube, the limb cream-colored on the inner surface, green outside, concave, ephemeral; spadix whitish, sessile, cylindrical, with a constriction between the area of pistillate flowers and the staminate flowers. Syncarp ovoid, red, reddish orange, or yellow, 3-5.5 cm long.

Phenology: Collected in flower in February, July and August.

Status: Exotic, naturalized, rather common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 4061; 6968; 7122; 9326; 9331; 9351.
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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

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 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.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 2610; 2880; 11360; Britton, N.L. 1691; 4489; 4544.
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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.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 4165; 10806; Britton, N.L. 1685; 4312; Sintenis, P. 757.
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Monstera adansonii Schott, Wiener Zeitschr. Kunst 1830: 1028. 1830.

Fig. 167. A-C

Non-woody vine, glabrous, that climbs by means of aerial roots and attains 5-10 m in length. Stems flexible, cylindrical, green, 0.5-2.5 cm in diameter, producing scarce watery latex when cut. Leaves alternate, dimorphic, chartaceous, entire, asymmetrically elliptic-lanceolate, the basal leaves not perforated, the distal leaves with numerous perforations, 26-47 x 13-22.5 cm, the apex short- or long-acuminate, the base asymmetrical, cuneate-obtuse; upper surface dull, with a flat, broad midvein; lower surface pale green, with the midvein prominent and the secondary venation darker; petioles winged almost to the apex, shorter than the blade. Inflorescence axillary, solitary, erect; spathe almost cylindrical, up to 20 cm long, opening along one side, green outside, cream-colored on the inner surface.

Phenology: Collected in flower in February.

Status: Exotic, cultivated and naturalized, uncommon.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 9313. Philodendron consanguineum: Breckon, G. 4264; Britton, N.L. 1656; 2586; 4313; Goll, G.P. 1032; Sargent, F.H. 342; Sintenis, P. 4347; Stevenson, J.A. 3494; Underwood, L.M. 753.
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Anthurium scandens (Aubl.) Engler in Mart., Fl. Bras. 3(2): 78. 1878.

Fig. 165. A-F

Basionym: Dracontium scandens Aubl.

Herbaceous epiphytic vine, that climbs by means of adventitious roots and attains 1-2 m in length. Stems cylindrical, the internodes covered by a fibrous leaf sheath. Leaves simple, alternate, lanceolate-elliptical or elliptical, 7-13 × 2.5-5 cm, chartaceous, the apex acuminate, the base obtuse or attenuate, the margins entire; upper surface glabrous, foveolate; lower surface glabrous, with numerous dark dots; petioles 0.7-4.5 cm long; leaf sheath stramineous, fibrous, persistent, ca. 3 cm long. Inflorescences axillary, erect; spadix in flower 1.5-2 cm long; spathe reflexed, membranaceous, green, with the venation mulberry-colored, 1-1.2 cm long. Tepals 4, green or brown, ca. 1 mm long, cuneiform, involute; anthers stramineous; ovary green. Berries depressed-globose, ca. 5 mm in diameter, juicy, white when ripe. Seeds ellipsoid, ca. 1 mm long.

Phenology: Flowering and fruiting probably throughout the year.

Status: Native, rather common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 7113; 7132; 9339; 9395; 10661; 11880; Britton, N.L. 1031; 4138; Eggers, B. 1210; Heller, A.A. 6357; Proctor, G.R. 46929; Shafer, J.A. 3562; Sintenis, P. 1505; Stevenson, J.A. 5044; Underwood, L.M. 415.
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