Vines and Climbing plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

Aristolochia anguicida Jacq., Enum. Syst. Pl. 30. 1760.

Fig. 21. A-D

Slightly woody vine, twining, attaining 5 m in length. Branches puberulous, sulcate. Leaves alternate; blades 4.5-15 × 3.5-9 cm, lanceolatedeltoid or ovate, chartaceous, the apex acute to obtuse, the base cordiform or subtruncate, the margins entire; upper surface glabrous or puberulous; lower surface puberulous, the venation not prominent; petioles 2-6.5 cm long, puberulous; pseudostipules reniform or circular, 1.5-3.5 cm long. Flowers cream-colored with cardinal red spots, solitary; peduncle ca. 4.5 cm long; utricle obovoid, 6-13 mm long, the tube 1-2 cm long, expanding toward the limb into an infundibuliform structure, with one lobe or elongate lip erect on the upper margin, the limb up to 2.5 cm wide. Capsule cylindrical, 2.2-3.8 cm long; seeds membranaceous, broadly ovate, 5.5-6.8 mm long, with a surrounding wing.

Phenology: Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.

Status: Native to South America, apparently cultivated on St. Croix.
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Aristolochia grandiflora Sw., Prodr. 126. 1788.

Fig. 23. A-C

Woody vine, twining, glabrescent, 5-7 m in length. Stems cylindrical. Leaves alternate; blades 6-20 × 6-16 cm, ovate or broadly ovate, chartaceous, the venation semi-palmate (with three main veins), the apex acute or acuminate, the base cordiform-sagittate, the margins undulate; upper surface glabrous, dull; lower surface with prominent venation, glaucous, puberulent; petioles 5-11 cm long, glabrous; pseudostipules absent. Flowers solitary, pendulous; peduncle 12-23 cm long; utricle asymmetrically obovoid, 6-12 × 2-3.5 cm, the tube 8-13 cm long, curved, broadened toward the apex; limb peltate, obovate to elliptical, 12-31 cm in diameter, cream-colored with a cardinal red reticulum, the apex cordate, the base with an appendage or tail, 7-150 cm long, the throat cardinal red. Capsule more or less cylindrical, with 5 longitudinal ribs, 13-15.5 cm long; seeds membranaceous, broadly ovate, 1-1.3 cm long.

Phenology: Collected in flower in December, February, April, May, and August and in fruit in April.

Status: Exotic, cultivated and escaped from cultivation, uncommon.
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Aristolochia odoratissima L., Sp. Pl. ed. 2, 1362. 1763.

Fig. 24. A-B

Synonym: Aristolochia pandurata Jacq.Woody vine, twining, attaining 5 m in length. Stems cylindrical, glabrous, smooth. Leaves alternate; blades 6.5-11 × 3.5-6 cm, lanceolate, hastate, or less frequently ovate, chartaceous or coriaceous, the venation palmate, the apex acuminate, the base deeply cordate, the margins entire; upper surface dull, glabrous; lower surface puberulous, the venation not prominent; petioles 1-3.5 cm long; pseudostipules inconspicuous or ovate, up to 1.5 cm long. Flowers solitary, yellowish with a cardinal red reticulum; peduncle ca. 3 cm long; utricle obovoid, ca. 1 × 0.5 cm; tube slightly curved, 0.7-1.7 cm long, almost forming a right angle with the utricle; limb 4-6 cm in diameter. Capsule curved, 7-10 cm long, subcylindrical, with 5 longitudinal ribs, the apex and base acute; seeds numerous, membranaceous, triangular, ca. 3 mm long.

Phenology: Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.

Status: Apparently exotic, naturalized on St. John; uncommon.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 4098.
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Aristolochia ringens Vahl, Symb. Bot. 3: 99. 1794.

Fig. 24. C-F

Synonyms: Aristolochia grandiflora sensu Vahl, non Sw.Aristolochia galeata sensu authors, non Mart. & Zucc.

Slightly woody vine, twining, attaining 5 m in length. Stems cylindrical, slender, glabrous, with the pith hollow. Leaves alternate; blades 5-16 × 6-18 cm, broadly ovate, reniform or orbicular, chartaceous, with prominently reticulate venation, the apex obtuse or rounded, the base deeply cordate, the margins entire; upper surface dark green, dull; lower surface glaucous, glabrous, with numerous scattered dots; petioles 3-11 cm long, sulcate or compressed, broadened at the base; pseudostipules foliaceous, ovate-rounded, 2.5-5 cm long. Flowers solitary, pendulous; peduncle 7.5-17 cm long; utricle obovoid, 5-7 × 2.5-4 cm, the tube straight, 3-4 cm long, almost forming a right angle with the utricle; limb bilabiate, yellowish with a cardinal red reticulum, the upper lip spathulate, 6-9 cm long, the lower lip lanceolate, 10-15 cm long. Capsule 6-11 cm long, oblong or oblanceolate, with 6 ribs, the apex mucronate, the base acute; seeds numerous, rhomboid, winged, 7-15 mm long.

Phenology: Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.

Status: Exotic, uncommon, cultivated and escaped.
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Aristolochia elegans Mast, Gard. Chron. Ii, 24: 301. 1885.

Fig. 22. A-F

Synonym: Aristolochia littoralis sensu Pfeifer, non Parodi

Woody vine, twining, attaining 7 m in length. Stems glabrous, cylindrical. Leaves alternate; blades 7-9 × 6-10 cm, reniform or broadly ovate, chartaceous, the venation palmate, the apex obtuse or rounded, the base cordiform, the margins entire; upper surface glabrous, shiny; lower surface with prominent venation, glaucous; petioles 1-3 cm long, glabrous; pseudostipules reniform, 1-1.5 cm long. Flowers solitary, pendulous; peduncle ca. 5 cm long; utricle ellipsoid-cylindrical, ca. 3 cm long, the tube 2.5-3.5 cm long, curved at the base, ascending, the limb asymmetrically peltate, crateriform, the lower margin retuse, 5-7 cm in diameter, light green or cream-colored with a cardinal red reticulum. Capsule cylindrical with 5 longitudinal ribs, 5-6 cm long; seeds membranaceous, triangular or ovate, 6-7 mm long.

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

Status: Exotic, cultivated and naturalized, uncommon.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P.4136.
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Aristolochia trilobata L., Sp. Pl. 960. 1753.

Fig. 22. G-H

Slightly woody vine, twining, 3-5 m in length. Stems slender, shiny, cylindrical, glabrous, pink on the younger portions. Leaves alternate; blades trilobed, 8-14 × 10-16 cm, coriaceous, the lobes shallow to quite deep, the apex rounded or obtuse, the base subcordiform or truncate, the margins entire or sinuate; upper surface dark green, shiny, glabrous, with palmate venation, somewhat sunken and yellowish; lower surface pale green, puberulous, the venation reticulate, prominent and puberulous; petioles robust, cylindrical, 2-4.5 cm long, glabrous, dilated at the base; pseudostipules rounded or reniform, 1-1.5 cm long, covering the stem. Flowers solitary, pendulous; peduncle up to 7 cm long; utricle ellipsoid, 2.5-4 cm long; tube straight, 4.5-7.5 cm long, ascending, forming an angle of 50° to 60° with the utricle; limb unilobed, greenish yellow with dark violet spots, the upper lobe with a caudate appendage, 10-31 cm long, ascending-arcuate. Capsules oblong, 6-8 cm long, with 6 longitudinal ribs; seeds numerous, membranaceous, triangular, ca. 7 mm long, compressed.

Phenology: Flowering and fruiting almost throughout the year.

Status: Native, locally common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 2215; 2217; 2431; 4214; 5080; 6993; Britton, N.L. 5517; Shafer, J.A. 3808; Sintenis, P. 812.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 183; 315; 330; 2184; 7129; 9330; 9488; 11835; Axelrod, F. 9492; Sargent, F.H. 362; Sintenis, P. 1417; Stevenson, J.A. 3458; Proctor, G.R. 45653; 46291; 48067; 50442.
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Peperomia rotundifolia (L.) Kunth in Humb. Bonpl. & Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. (quarto ed.) 1: 65. 1815.

Fig. 139. A-D

Basionym: Piper rotundifolium L.

Epiphytic herb, ascending by means of small aerial roots, attainig 1-3 m in length. Stems cylindrical, brittle, pubescent, ca. 1 mm in diameter, with numerous lateral branchlets. Leaves alternate, fleshy when fresh, aromatic, membranaceous on drying, 5-11 mm long, elliptical, obovate, or almost circular, the apex rounded, the base obtuse or almost rounded, the margins entire, markedly revolute, ciliate; upper surface dark green, glabrous, puberulent, or minutely strigulose, with dark dots; lower surface concave, pale green, glabrous or puberulent, with dark dots; petioles thin, 1-5 mm long, with minute dark dots. Inflorescences of terminal spikes, 1-2.5 cm long, produced on the lateral branchlets.

Phenology: Flowering throughout the year.

Status: Native, locally common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Eggers, B. 1153; Sargent, F.H. 411; 3294; Sintenis, P. 469; 1669.
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