Vines and Climbing plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

Rajania cordata L., Sp. Pl. 1032. 1753.

Fig. 177. A-L

Synonym: Rajania sintenisii Uline

Non-woody vine, climbing, twining, glabrous, attainig 3-10 m in length. Stems slender, cylindrical, strong, glabrous. Leaves alternate, glabrous, 4-11.5(20) × 2-6.5(12) cm, 5-9-veined, coriaceous or less frequently chartaceous, ovate, lanceolate, or less frequently hastate, the apex acute or acuminate, the base cordiform to almost truncate; upper surface slightly shiny, with the venation flat or slightly prominent; lower surface with prominent venation; petioles 2-7 cm long, cylindrical, pulvinate at the base. Inflorescences axillary, racemose, pendulous or ascendant. Staminate inflorescences solitary or fasciculate, 4-25 cm long, the flowers grouped in lateral cymes, the cymes stipitate, 1-3 per node; flowers with the perianth white or cream-colored, 0.9-1.1 mm long, the stamens 6. Pistillate inflorescences 4-30 cm long, with solitary flowers distributed along the peduncle; flowers with the perianth 1-1.3 mm long, the hypanthium ca. 1.5 mm long. Fruits samaroid, (1.1)1.6-3.2 cm long, flattened, usually reddish or burgundy, with a wing in a lateral distal position.

Phenology: Flowering from July to March and fruiting from September to June.

Status: Native, rather common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 127; 5171; 5226; 6962; 7035; 7104; 7147; 7664; 7922; 7925; 7927; 9403; 9437; 10220; 10570; 10820; 10877; 10878; 11208; 11381; 11406; Axelrod, F. 11069; Britton, N.L. 947; 1732; Goll, G.P. 238; 1033; Liogier, A.H. 9701; 9866; Sargent, F.H. 385; 3159; Shafer, J.A. 2631; 3253; 3606; 3655; Sintenis, P. 1384a; Stevenson, J.A. 158; 3113; Underwood, L.M. 739; Webster, G.L. 8738.
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Dioscorea polygonoides Humboldt & Bonpland ex Willd., Sp. Pl. 4: 795. 1806.

Fig. 176. A-I

Non-woody vine, twining, attainig 8 m or more in length. Stems glabrous, more or less cylindrical. Leaves alternate, ovate, 7-11-veined, chartaceous or membranaceous, (4)8-21 × (2.7)5-17 cm, the apex acuminate, the base cordiform; upper surface shiny, the venation slightly prominent; lower surface dull, the venation prominent; petiole 5-8 cm long, the base marginate, not extended like a pseudostipule; bulbils angular, up to 5 cm wide, smooth. Inflorescences axillary, pendulous; the staminate ones solitary or in pairs, simple or sometimes branched, up to 50 cm long, with the flowers grouped in sessile lateral cymes; the pistillate ones simple, up to 30 cm long, with the flowers solitary. Flowers minute, sessile, white or pale green; staminate flowers with the perianth ca. 1 mm long; fertile stamens 3; pistillate flowers with the perianth ca. 1 mm long and the hypanthium ca. 2 mm long. Capsules 3-winged, 2.5-3.2 cm long, in a position almost perpendicular to the rachis of the spike. Seeds 2 per locule, almost circular, ca. 5 mm in diameter.

Phenology: Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.

Status: Native, rather common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 140; 2977; 7078; 9317; 10812.
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Dioscorea pilosiuscula Bertero ex Spreng., Syst. Veg. ed. 16, 2: 152. 1825.

Fig. 175. L-P

Non-woody vine, twining, attainig 4-8 m in length. Stems slender, strong, almost cylindrical or slightly angular, glabrous or puberulent. Leaves alternate, 5-7-veined, oblong-ovate or ovate, 5.5-12 × 2.5-6.5 cm, chartaceous, the apex longacuminate, the base cordiform, the margins undulate; upper surface slightly shiny, glabrous, the venation sunken; lower surface pale green, dull, with prominent venation, pilose; petioles slender, glabrous or puberulent, 1.5-4 cm long, sulcate and with both extremities swollen, provided with a pair of small ovoid tubercles in the axil. Inflorescences axillary, pendulous. Staminate flowers unknown in the populations of the Antilles; pistillate flowers with the perianth 1.5-2 mm long. Capsule oblong, 1-2.5 cm long. Seeds ca. 8 mm long, with a basal wing.

Phenology: Flowering and fruiting from December to July.

Status: Native, uncommon.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 399; 2419; 2645; Sintenis 1384b.
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Dioscorea alata L., Sp. Pl. 1033. 1753.

Fig. 174. A-E

Synonym: Rajania flexuosa Bello

Non-woody vine, twining (toward the right), glabrous, attainig 10-15 m in length. Stems quadrangular, with 4 longitudinal projections, winged, undulate, green or reddish; mature stems (at the base) cylindrical and spiny. Leaves mostly opposite, sometimes alternate on branches of rapid growth, coriaceous, broadly ovate, 5-7-veined, 10-30 × 5-18 cm, the apex acute or acuminate, sometimes reflexed, the base cordiform; upper surface dark green, shiny, with the venation sunken; lower surface pale green, dull, with prominent venation; petioles 4-12 cm long, 4-winged, forming an auriculate sheath at the base, with a pair of pseudostipules that enclose the stem; bulbils elongate, pendulous, attaining 15 cm long, produced when the leaves begin to wither. Inflorescences axillary, unisexual, pendulous; the staminate ones paniculate, 5-15 cm long, with numerous lateral and flexuous spikes that contain numerous male flowers; the pistillate ones racemose, with few flowers. Staminate flowers with the perianth 1-1.5 mm long; pistillate flowers with the perianth 2-2.8 mm long. Capsule 3-locular, 2-3 cm wide, each locule flattened like a wing, with two seeds inside.

Phenology: Collected in flower in October and November and in fruit in January.

Status: Exotic, naturalized, rather common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 7047; 7076; Goll, G.P. 137; 1066; Sargent, F.H. B48; Sintenis, P. 448; 4509; Stevenson, J.A. 2100; Underwood, L.M. 358.
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