Vines and Climbing plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

Cissus verticillata (L.) Nicolson & Jarvis, Taxon 33: 727. 1984.

Fig. 164. A-D

Basionym: Viscum verticillatum L.

Synonym: Cissus sicyoidesL.

Non-woody vine, that climbs by means of tendrils and attains more than 10 m in length. Stems fleshy, with abundant watery latex, cylindrical when young, flattened when mature, attaining 5 cm in diameter, the nodes swollen. Leaves alternate, coriaceous, ovate, 5-12 × 3.8-6.5 cm, the apex acute or rounded, the base cordiform, the margins revolute, denticulate; upper surface green, shiny; lower surface green, dull, with prominent venation; petioles 2-5 cm long, sulcate; stipules 2.5-3.5 mm long, auriculate; tendrils opposite the leaves, simple or bifurcate, up to 25 cm long, twisting in the form of a spiral. Inflorescences of compound cymes that are borne opposite the leaves; pedicels ca. 3 mm long, yellowish green or reddish. Calyx yellowish green or reddish, 0.7-1 mm long; petals 4, yellowish or pink, oblong-lanceolate, 2-2.5 mm long, deciduous; disc annular, yellow, 0.5-0.8 mm high. Fruits globose, fleshy, 0.7-1 cm in diameter, shiny, dark violet or black, with one or two seeds inside.

Phenology: Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.

Status: Native, very common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 169; 819; 833; 2088; 2420; 2820; 3993; 4683; 5114; 5172; 7088; 10591; 10929; 11681.
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Vitis tiliifolia Roem. & Schult., Syst. Veg. 5:320. 1819.

Fig. 164. G-J

Synonym: Vitis caribaea Dc.

Liana that climbs by means of tendrils and attains 10-35 m in length. Stems cylindrical, woody, producing abundant potable water when cut and attaining 8 cm in diameter; bark dark brown, rough. Leaves simple, broadly ovate or trilobate, 6.5-14 × 6.5-12.5 cm, chartaceous, the apex acute to short-acuminate, the base cordiform to almost truncate, the margins serrate; upper surface puberulent; lower surface tomentose; petioles 2.5-8 cm long; stipules caducous. Inflorescences of pendulous axillary panicles, 9-17 cm long. Calyx green, discoid, the sepals ca. 2 mm long. Petals 1.5-2.2 mm long, greenish yellow, oblong-obovate, persistent; disc ca. 0.2 mm high. Berries globose, 5-10 mm in diameter, juicy, violet when ripe. Seeds 1-2, circular, ca. 4 mm long.

Phenology: Collected in flower during March and April and in fruit in September.

Status: Native, rather common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 198; 2128; Axelrod, F. 5996.
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Cissus erosa L.C. Rich., Act. Soc. Hist. Nat. 1: 106. 1792.

Fig. 162. A-J

Non-woody vine, that climbs by means of tendrils and attains 5-6 m in length. Stems angular, quadrangular, or 4-6-winged, branched, glabrous or puberulent, the nodes swollen. Leaves alternate, trifoliolate; leaflets elliptical, lanceolate, or ovate, 4.3-10.5 × 3-5.5 cm (the terminal leaflet larger), glabrous or puberulent on the prominent veins, the apex acute or obtuse, the base acute, obtuse, or attenuate on the central leaflet and unequal on the lateral leaflets, the margins serrate; petiolules very short or absent; petioles canaliculate or slightly winged, 2-3(5) cm long; stipules deltoid, auriculate at the base, 2-4 mm long. Tendrils opposite the leaves, simple, filiform, 10-12 cm long, sometimes terminating in adventitious discs. Inflorescences of umbelliform cymes, opposite the leaves; peduncle longer than the accompanying leaf; pedicels 2-2.5 mm long, reddish. Calyx ca. 1 mm high, red or pink, truncate; petals red, glabrous, papillose; stamens green; disc reddish. Fruits globose, 5-7 mm in diameter, black when ripe. Seed one, 5-7 mm long.

Phenology: Flowering throughout the year.

Status: Native, common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 4720; 7171; 9471; 10809; 11503; Britton, N.L. 4083; 6732; 9909; Sargent, F.H. 612; Sintenis, P. 190; 4716; 5346; Stevenson, J.A. 6351; 6723; Underwood, L.M. 85; 513.
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Cissus trifoliata (L.) L., Syst. Nat. ed. 10, 897. 1759.

Fig. 164. E-F

Basionym: Sicyos trifoliata L.

Synonym: Cissus acida L.

Non-woody vine that climbs by means of tendrils and attains 2-15 m in length. Stems much branched, cylindrical, fleshy, 3-8 mm in diameter, glabrous or puberulent, reddish brown or grayish when mature, the nodes swollen. Leaves alternate, trifoliolate, fleshy, glabrous; leaflets ovate, obovate, or oblong, 2-3 × 1-2.6 cm, the apex rounded, acute, or truncate, the base cuneate or attenuate, the margins deeply dentate-mucronate on the upper half; upper surface and lower surface dull; petioles fleshy, sulcate, 1-3 cm long; stipules 3.5-5 mm long, lanceolate; tendrils opposite the leaves, simple, filiform, 6-8 cm long, twisted in the form of a spiral. Inflorescences in cymes, opposite the leaves. Calyx yellowish green, 1.5-2 mm long. Petals 4, yellowish or whitish, reflexed, 2-2.5 mm long, lanceolate-triangular, deciduous. Fruits depressed-globose, 7-8 mm in diameter, shiny, metallic blue or black when ripe.

Phenology: Flowering from March to July and fruiting from July to August.

Status: Native, very common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 1017; 1799; 2693; 4375; 5127; 5363; 5446; 11251; 11497; Axelrod, F. 6346; Breckon, G. 4067; Sintenis, P. 4901; Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 2015.
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