Vines and Climbing plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

Sicana odorifera (Vell.) Naudin, Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. Sér. 4: 18. 181. 1862.

Fig. 88. F-G

Basionym: Cucurbita odorifera Vell.

Herbaceous vine, climbing by tendrils, attaining 8 m or more in length. Stems green, thick, sulcate, puberulent or glabrescent; tendrils axillary, 5-fid, 9-11 cm long. Leaves alternate; blades 10-20 × 10-20 cm, 3-5 (7)-lobed, chartaceous, the lobes deep, acute, the base cordiform, the margins undulate or denticulate; upper surface dark green, slightly shiny, glabrous; lower surface pale green, with prominent venation, glabrous; petioles 7-13 cm long, slender, canaliculate or slightly winged, villous. Flowers unisexual, ascending, solitary, axillary; peduncle shorter than the accompanying leaf. Calyx green, campanulate, 6-8 mm long, tomentose, the lobes reflexed, 10-12 mm long, lanceolate; corolla yellow, campanulate, 2.5-4 cm long, tomentose; stamens 3; staminodia 3; ovary ovoid, 5-6 mm long, puberulent. Berry pendulous, cylindrical or ellipsoid, 30-50 cm long and ca. 10 cm in diameter, yellowish brown or mulberry-colored; seeds, numerous, asymmetrically ovate, compressed, with the margin darker, 13.5-15 mm long.

Phenology: Collected in flower and fruit during August.

Status: Exotic, cultivated, common.
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Doyerea emetocathartica Grosourdy, Med. Bot. Criollo 2: 338. 1864.

Fig. 83. C-F

Synonyms: Corallocarpus emetocatharticus (Grosourdy) Cogn.

Anguria glomerata Eggers

Herbaceous vine, dioecious, climbing by tendrils, attaining 10 m or more in length. Stems green, cylindrical, fleshy, fragile, glabrous, producing abundant watery latex, much branched from the base, which bears tuberous roots; tendrils axillary, simple, shorter than the leaves. Leaves alternate; blades 5-10 × 5.5-10 cm, ovate or broadly ovate, usually 3-lobed, chartaceous, the apex acute, obtuse, or acuminate, usually mucronate, the base cordiform or lyrate, the margins minutely dentate; upper surface scabrid; lower surface pubescent, with the reticulate venation prominent; petioles sulcate, pubescent, ca. 4 cm long. Flowers unisexual, in axillary cymes. Calyx green or pale orange, campanulate, 3.5-4 mm long, puberulous, the lobes oblong, reflexed; corolla white, yellowish green, or pale orange, campanulate, the tube ca. 1 mm long, the lobes 1-1.2 mm long, pilose, oblong, erect or reflexed; stamens 2, the filaments short, concrescent; ovary inferior, elongate, bicarpellate, the style simple, bifurcate near the apex, the stigmas bifid, subglobose and exserted. Berries asymmetrically ellipsoid, 1-1.2 cm long, smooth, pale green, turning orange when ripe; seeds few, ovoid, ca. 4 mm long, not arillate.

Phenology: Collected in flower in January, August, and September and in fruit in August.

Status: Native, rather common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 1944; 4044; 4226; 11276; Axelrod, F. 8750; Britton, N.L. 226.
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Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb., Hort. Beng. 70. 1814.

Fig. 85. D-E

Basionym: Cucumis acutangula L.

Herbaceous vine, monoecious, creeping or climbing by axillary tendrils, attaining 5-10 m in length. Stems green, angular, scabrous; tendrils trifid. Leaves alternate; blades 15-20 cm long, 5-7-palmatilobed, chartaceous, the lobes more or less deep, the apex acute or acuminate, the base cordiform or hastate, the margins sinuate-dentate or denticulate; upper surface scabrous; lower surface pale green, scabrous; petioles 8-10 cm long. Flowers unisexual, actinomorphic. Calyx urceolate, with keeled lobes, 10-12 mm long, triangular; corolla pale yellow, the lobes deep, obtuse. Staminate flowers in racemes; stamens 3, the filaments free, 3-4 m long, villous. Pistillate flowers solitary, with a hypanthium < 1 cm long; staminodia 3, minute, glandular; ovary inferior, tricarpellate, claviform, 10-angled, with numerous horizontal ovules, the style short, the stigmas globose. Fruit claviform, with 10 longitudinal ribs, 15-30 cm long, the pericarp crustose, dehiscent by apical pores; seeds numerous, ovate, 11-12 mm long, blackish, rugose.

Phenology: Collected in fruit in July.

Status: Exotic, cultivated and naturalized(according to Britton, 1925), uncommon.
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Luffa aegyptiaca Miller, Gard. Dict. ed. 8. 1768.

Fig. 85. A-C

Synonym: Luffa cilindrica M. Roem.

Herbaceous vine, monoecious, climbing by axillary tendrils, attaining 10 m in length. Stems green, slender, subcylindrical or angular, ribbed, glabrous or puberulous; tendrils trifid. Leaves alternate; blades 11-25 (35) × 7-25 (32) cm, 3-7-palmatilobed, chartaceous, the lobes lanceolate or ovate, the apices acute or acuminate, the base cordiform, the margins entire or serrate; upper surface scabrid; lower surface pale green, scabrid; petioles as long as or longer than the blade. Flowers unisexual, actinomorphic. Calyx green, campanulate, the lobes 12-15 mm long, lanceolate; corolla pale yellow, 2.5-4.5 cm long, the lobes ovate, obtuse. Staminate flowers in racemes 12-15 cm long; stamens 5, not exserted, the filaments free, 3-4 m long, villous. Pistillate flowers solitary, with a hypanthium ca. 3 cm long; ovary inferior, tricarpellate, ellipsoid, with numerous horizontal ovules, the style short, the stigmas globose. Fruit trigonal, slightly sulcate, 20-45 cm long, the pericarp crustose, dehiscent by apical pores, the mesocarp forming a network of fibers; seeds numerous, elliptical, 10-13 mm long, black, smooth.

Phenology: Flowering from November to January and fruiting in January and from July to August.

Status: Exotic, cultivated and naturalized, uncommon.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 4066; 7231; Goll, G.P. 829; Heller, A.A. 370; Sintenis, P. 716; 3174; Stevenson, J.A. 342.
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Sechium edule (Jacq.) Sw., Fl. Ind. Occ. 1150.1800.

Fig. 88. A-E

Basionym: Sicyos edulis Jacq.

Herbaceous vine climbing by axillary tendrils, 10 or more m in length. Stems much branched, greenish, striate, pubescent when young, glabrous when mature, sometimes pubescent at the nodes; tendrils axillary or lateral to the leaves, thick, with 4 or 5 branches that intertwine in a spiral. Leaves alternate; blades 6-22 × 6-22 cm, ovate or rounded, 3-5-lobed-angled, chartaceous, the venation 5-9-palmate, the lobes acute at the apex, the base cordiform, the margins entire or denticulate; upper surface dark green, scabrous, with the venation slightly prominent; lower surface yellowish green, with prominent venation, pubescent; petioles thick, 4-15 cm long. Staminate flowers in axillary racemes; calyx green, campanulate, with 5 minute lanceolate lobes; corolla yellowish green, the lobes oblong, 6-8 mm long; stamens yellow. Pistillate flowers solitary on a long pedicel axillary to the staminate inflorescence; calyx green, campanulate, with oblong lobes, ca. 4 mm long; corolla yellowish green, with five deep lobes, oblong, 10-12 mm long; ovary inferior, obovoid-fusiform, pubescent. Fruit fleshy, pyriform, sulcate, 8-16 cm long, green or white, usually spinulose. Seed one, lenticular, germinating inside the fruit.

Phenology: Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.

Status: Exotic, cultivated and naturalized, very common.
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Momordica charantia L., Sp. Pl. 1009. 1753.

Fig. 86. G-K

Herbaceous vine, creeping or climbing by axillary tendrils, attaining 8 m in length. Stems green, slender, subcylindrical, striate, villous; tendrils simple, 9-11 cm long. Leaves alternate; blades 3-11 × 3-10 cm, 5-7-lobed, membranaceous to chartaceous, the apex obtuse or acute, the base cordiform, the margins deeply undulate or dentate; upper surface dark green, dull, puberulous; lower surface yellowish green, dull, with prominent venation, puberulous; petioles slender, sulcate or slightly winged, villous, 3-6 cm long. Flowers solitary, axillary; peduncle elongate, with a foliose bract below the middle. Calyx yellowish green, campanulate, 10-12 mm long, the lobes lanceolate; corolla pale yellow, rotate, ca. 3.5 cm in diameter. Capsule ellipsoid-angular to fusiform, muricate, 3-5 cm long, changing from green to yellow-orange when mature, dehiscent at the apex by 3 valves; seeds pendulous, compressed, covered by a red and fleshy aril.

Phenology: Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.

Status: Exotic, naturalized, very common.

Commentary: Momordica charantia has at least three forms that are cultivated for their edible fruits. These are known as “bitter melon” and “bitter gourd” and may attain up to 60 cm long. In Puerto Rico the wild form, not a cultivated one, is found, although there exists one collection (Sintenis 919), made in 1885, with fruits ca. 15 cm long, apparently from a cultivated plant.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 2678; 2734; 4671; Britton, N.L. 16; Goll, G.P. 60; 310; Heller, A.A. 153; 4458; Sargent, F.H. 123; Shafer, J.A. 2520; Sintenis, P. 726; 919; Stevenson, J.A. 97.
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Cucurbita moschata Duchesne ex Poir., Dict. Sci. Nat. 11: 234. 1818.

Fig. 83. A-B

Herbaceous vine, creeping or climbing by axillary tendrils, 5-10 m in length. Stems branched from the base and along the main stems, flexible, angular, pubescent with soft or slightly rigid hairs, elongate, not pungent; tendrils with 4 branches, pilose, shorter than the petiole. Leaves alternate; blades 15-25 × 15-25 cm, broadly ovate, slightly lobed, the lobes obtuse, the apex obtuse, the base cordiform or hastate, the margins finely serrate; upper surface puberulous, usually with irregular whitish spots; lower surface shortpubescent, with prominent venation; petioles 11-39 cm long, striate, puberulous to densely pubescent, with unicelular hairs intermingled with multicellular trichomes. Flowers solitary; calyx campanulate, yellowish green, 3.5-4 cm long, hirsute, the lobes linear to oblong, 2.5-3 cm long; corolla brilliant yellow, campanulate, 7-9 cm long, the lobes obtuse, revolute; peduncle thick, angular, sulcate. Berry variable, soft or hard, depressedglobose to globose, green, turning yellowish when ripe, 25-30 cm long; mesocarp orange, fleshy, thick; seeds numerous, elliptical, 1.5-2 cm long, cream-colored to light brown.

Phenology: Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.

Status: Exotic, cultivated and naturalized, common.

Commentary: In Puerto Rico two other species of Cucurbita (C. pepo L. and C. maxima Duchesne ex Lam.) have been reported; nevertheless, these are rarely cultivated and are not found naturalized in Puerto Rico (pers. comm. Dr. Linda Beaver, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus).
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Cayaponia racemosa (Mill.) Cogn. in A.Dc. & C.Dc., Mon. Phan. 3: 768. 1881.

Fig. 80. C-G

Basionym: Bryonia racemosa Mill.

Climbing herbaceous vine, with axillary tendrils, attaining 10-15 m in length. Stems green, cylindrical, striate, glabrous, swollen at the nodes; tendrils trifid, 15 cm long or longer. Leaves alternate; blades entire or 3-7-lobed, 4-20 × 3-17 (25) cm, ovate, chartaceous or subcoriaceous, the lobes oblong, the apex acuminate or acute, the base cordiform or reniform, the margins spinulose; upper surface scabrid; lower surface light green, dull, with the reticulate venation prominent, puberulous; petioles sulcate or slightly winged, glabrous, 4-7 cm long. Flowers unisexual, in axillary racemes. Calyx pale green, crateriform or campanulate, 3-4 mm long, the lobes triangular; corolla greenish white, tubular, the tube ca. 3 mm long, pubescent inside, the lobes 3-5 mm long, reflexed. Berry ovoid, 10-12 mm long, green, turning orange when ripe; seeds 2-3, elliptical, ca. 8 mm long, not arillate.

Phenology: Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.

Status: Native, very common throughout Puerto Rico.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 9355; 10805; 11444; Axelrod, F. 4441; 6087; Britton, N.L. 1784; Stevenson, J.A. 772.
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Coccinia grandis (L.) Voigt, Hort. Suburb. Calcutt. 59. 1845.

Fig. 81. A-D

Basionym: Bryonia grandis L.

Synonym: Coccinia cordifolia sensu Britton, non (L.) Cogn.

Subwoody vine, climbing by axillary tendrils, which attains 20 m in length. Stems much branched, angular, with white dots, pubescent in the area of the nodes; tendrils simple or bifid, shorter than the leaves. Leaves alternate; blades simple, 4-11 × 4.2-10 cm, entire or deeply 5-lobed, the apex obtuse or acute, the base cordiform, the central lobe lanceolate, the lateral ones asymmetrical, ovate-lanceolate, the margins minutely dentate; upper surface dull, scabrid; lower surface pale green, dull, slightly scabrid, with prominent venation; petioles 1.5-2 cm long, sulcate, glabrous. Flowers usually solitary, axillary, the staminate and pistillate flowers similar. Hypanthium ellipsoid. Calyx turbinate, green, ca. 5 mm long, glabrous; corolla white, with the center pale yellow, campanulate, 5-lobed, the tube 2-2.5 cm long, the limb 3-5 cm in diameter. Berry ellipsoid, smooth, 3-6 cm long, red when ripe; seeds numerous, compressed, ca. 6 mm long.

Phenology: Collected in flower in August.

Status: Exotic, naturalized, locally common.
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Cayaponia americana (Lam.) Cogn. in A.Dc. & C.Dc., Monogr. Phan. 3: 785. 1881.

Fig. 80. A-B

Basionym: Bryonia americana Lam.

Herbaceous vine, slender, climbing or creeping, with axillary tendrils, attaining 10 m in length. Stems angular, glabrous or puberulous, swollen at the nodes; tendrils simple or branched, usually longer than the leaves. Leaves alternate; blades 5-20 × 5-18 (25) cm, chartaceous, ovate, palmatilobed, with 3-5 more or less deep lobes, oblong to linear, the apices acute, acuminate, or rounded, the base cordiform or lyrate, the margins entire or crenate; upper surface dark green, shiny, hispidulous, with the venation sunken and pubescent; lower surface yellowish green, dull, with the venation reticulate, prominent, and pubescent; petioles sulcate, puberulous, 2-7 cm long. Flowers solitary or in short racemes. Calyx green, campanulate, 5-9 mm long; corolla white or greenish yellow, minutely pubescent, the tube ca. 1 cm long, the lobes 12-15 mm long, oblong, reflexed; stamens exserted, the filaments greenish, pubescent at the base, the anthers yellow. Berry ellipsoid, 1.5-2 cm long, smooth, olive-green, turning orange or red-orange when ripe; seeds ovate, 0.8-1.2 cm long, not arillate.

Phenology: Flowering and fruiting from February to December.

Status: Native, very common throughout Puerto Rico.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 702; 1850; 2065; 2625; 2735; 3856; 7853; 10792; 10860; 10896; 11320; Axelrod, F. 5064; Britton, N.L. 128; 923; 1240; 4146; 7800; Heller, A.A. 4663; Liogier, A.H. 10468; 28920; Sargent, F.H. 615; Shafer, J.A. 2640; Sintenis, P. 1441; 2398; 5015; 5236; Stevenson, J.A. 5209; Wilson, P. 265.
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Cucumis melo L., Sp. Pl. 1011. 1753.

Fig. 82. G-I

Creeping herb or herbaceous vine, creeping or climbing by axillary tendrils, attaining 2 m in length. Stems branched from the base and along the main stems, slender, angular, sulcate, hispid; tendrils simple, hispid, as long as the leaves. Leaves alternate; blades 2.2-13 × 2-13 cm, ovate, broadly ovate, or trilobed, the lobes obtuse, the base cordiform or lyrate, the margins denticulate; upper surface dull, scabrid; lower surface pale green, dull, scabrid, with prominent venation and hispidulous; petioles 1-9 cm long, sulcate, hispid. Staminate flowers in axillary fascicles; pistillate flowers solitary; calyx campanulate, yellowish green, 2.8-4(5.6) mm long, hispidulous, the lobes linear to triangular, 1.2-3.6 mm long; corolla yellow, infundibuliform, 7-1.4 mm long, the lobes obtuse. Berry ellipsoid, smooth, 4.5-5.5 cm long, green with whitish spots, turning yellow-orange when ripe, the pulp extremely bitter; seeds numerous, elliptical, cream-colored, 4-5 mm long.

Phenology: Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.

Status: Exotic, naturalized, uncommon.
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Cucumis dipsaceus Ehrenb. ex Spach, Hist. Nat. Veg. 6: 211. 1838.

Fig. 82. E-F

Herbaceous vine, creeping or climbing by axillary tendrils, which attains 1.5 m in length. Stems much branched, slender, angular, sulcate, hispid on the angular margins; tendrils simple, longer than the leaves. Leaves alternate; blades 2.5-7.5 × 2-7 cm, ovate or trilobed, the lobes obtuse, the base cordiform, the apex obtuse, the margins dentate or entire; upper surface dull, scabrid; lower surface pale green, dull, scabrid, with prominent venation and hispidulous; petioles sulcate, hispidulous or hispid, 1.5-5 (12) cm long. Flowers solitary, the staminate flowers sometimes in axillary fascicles; calyx campanulate, 3.6-5.2 mm long, hispidulous, the lobes narrowly oblong or linear, 1.6-4 mm long, hispidulous; corolla pale yellow, campanulate, hispidulous outside, the tube 1-1.5 mm long, the lobes obovate, acute, 5.5-8.5 mm long. Berry ellipsoid or globose, densely spiny (spines ca. 1 cm long), 3-6.5 cm long, pale yellow; seeds numerous, elliptical, cream-colored, 4-5 mm long.

Phenology: Collected in flower in April and in fruit from April to June.

Status: Exotic, naturalized, uncommon.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 8519; 11073; Axelrod, F. 10474. Cucumis melo: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 10460; Axelrod, F. 8452; Stevenson, J.A. 5310; Taylor, C.M. 8560.
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Cucumis anguria L., Sp. Pl. 1011. 1753.

Fig. 82. A-D

Herbaceous vine, creeping or climbing by axillary tendrils, which attains 0.25-2 m in length. Stems branched from the base, slender, angular, hirsute; tendrils simple, shorter than the leaves. Leaves alternate; blades 3-10 × 3.5-10 cm, deeply 3-5-palmatilobed, the lobes oblong or oblanceolate, the apices obtuse or rounded, the base lyrate, the margins ciliate, crenate or denticulate; upper surface dull, scabrid; lower surface pale green, dull, scabrid, with prominent venation and hispidulous; petioles sulcate, hispidulous, 6-12 cm long. Flowers solitary or in axillary fascicles, unisexual. Calyx campanulate,yellowish, 5-6 mm long, villous-spinulose; corolla pale yellow, ca. 1 cm long, the lobes acute. Berry ellipsoid or obovoid, spinulose, 4-5 cm long, greenish yellow, edible; seeds numerous, elliptical, cream-colored, 1-1.3 cm long.

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

Status: Exotic, naturalized, uncommon.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 4023; 5234; Axelrod, F. 5939; 9695; Britton, N.L. 1265; Eggers, B. 627; Goll, G.P. 646; Liogier, A.H. 29440; Shafer, J.A. 2663; Sintenis, P. 601; Stevenson, J.A. 3258; Underwood, L.M. 575.
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Melothria pendula L., Sp. Pl. 35. 1753.

Fig. 86. A-F

Synonyms: Bryonia guadalupensis Spreng.

Melothria guadalupensis (Spreng.) Cogn.

Herbaceous vine, much branched, which climbs by tendrils, attaining 1-2 (4) m in length. Stems slender, 2-3 mm in diameter, green, slightly striate, puberulous and with some minute hairs; tendrils axillary, simple, filiform, 6-9 cm long. Leaves alternate; blades ovate or 3-5-lobed, membranaceous, the apex acute or acuminate, mucronate, the base lyrate or cordiform, the margins crenate, repand, or denticulate; upper surface green, shiny, scabrid, with the venation flat; lower surface light green, dull, scabrid, with the venation slightly prominent; petioles shorter than the blade, sulcate. Staminate and pistillate flowers in the same raceme; peduncles 2-3 cm long. Calyx yellowish green, campanulate, ca. 5 mm long; corolla pale yellow, campanulate, ca. 5 mm long, with 5 deep lobes; stamens subsessile, adnate to the corolla tube, the anthers free, the pistil with an annular disc at the base. Berry ovoid, smooth, 1.5-1.8 cm long, olive green when ripe; seeds numerous, elliptical or ovate, ca. 5 mm long, not arillate.

Phenology: Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.

Status: Native, very common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 2413; 5430; Britton, N.L. 1668; 2062; Goll, G.P. 180; 327; 328; 351; 608; 873; 874; Kuntze, C.E.O. 376; Sintenis, P. 897; Stevenson, J.A. 1797; Underwood, L.M. 35; 207; 349.
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Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl., Field Mus. Bot. 3: 435. 1930.

Fig. 84. G-K

Basionym: Cucurbita siceraria Molina

Synonym: Lagenaria vulgaris Ser.

Herbaceous vine, monoecious, which climbs by tendrils, 5-10 m in length. Stems herbaceous, puberulous or densely pubescent, striate; tendrils axillary, bifid. Leaves alternate; blades simple, 6-15 × 7-22 cm, ovate or pentagonal, angular or lobed, chartaceous, the apex apiculate, the base cordiform, the margins sinuate-dentate; both surfaces puberulous; petioles elongate, with a pair of lateral glands, corniculate where they are joined to the blade; stipules absent. Flowers white, nocturnal, unisexual, actinomorphic, usually solitary, axillary; staminate flowers larger than the pistillate flowers; peduncles longer than the accompanying petiole in the staminate flowers or as long as the petiole in the pistillate flowers. Calyx infundibuliform to campanulate, with 5 triangular to linear lobes, 3-4 mm long; corolla yellow, of free petals, expanded, 2-4 cm long, obovate to oblong-ovate, with the apex apiculate and emarginate; stamens 3, the filaments free, inserted on the base of the floral receptacle, the anthers concrescent; hypanthium < 1 cm long; ovary inferior, tricarpellate, ovoid to cylindrical, tomentose, with numerous horizontal ovules, the style short, the stigmas trilobate. Fruit a berry, very variable in form, 20-35 cm long, the pericarp woody, smooth, glabrous; seeds numerous, ovateoblong, ca. 1.5 cm long, not arillate.

Phenology: Collected in flower and fruit in September.

Status: Exotic, cultivated and naturalized, uncommon.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 11421; Britton, N.L. 10101; Goll, G.P. 454; 974; Sintenis, P. 1922.
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Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.), family Cucurbitaceae) is a vine-like (scrambler and trailer) flowering plant originally from southern Africa. Its fruit, which is also called watermelon, is a special kind referred to by botanists as a pepo, a berry which has a thick rind (exocarp) and fleshy center (mesocarp and endocarp). Pepos are derived from an inferior ovary, and are characteristic of the Cucurbitaceae. The watermelon fruit, loosely considered a type of melon – although not in... less ↑