Common Vines & Climbing Plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

Barbieria pinnata (Pers.) Baill., Hist. Pl. 2: 263. 1870.

Fig. 97. E-I

Basionym: Galactia pinnata Pers.

Synonyms: Clitoria pinnata (Pers.) R.H. Sm. & G.P. Lewis

Clitoria polyphylla Poir.

Barbieria polyphylla (Poir.) Dc.

Woody vine or clambering shrub, twining, attainig 4-10 m in length. Stems slender, much branched, striate, hirsute, glabrescent, coppercolored, with some whitish lenticels. Leaves alternate, imparipinnate; leaflets 11-21, chartaceous, oblong, 2-5.5 × 1.2-2.2 cm, the apex rounded and mucronate, the base rounded or obtuse, the margins entire, ciliate; upper surface pale green, dull, with inconspicuous venation; lower surface green, silky or whitish, pubescent, with the midvein prominent, yellowish, covered with minute hairs; petiolules 1-2 mm long, ferruginous-pubescent; petioles 1-4 cm long, pilose; rachis pilose, with a pair of stipels at the base of each pair of leaflets; stipels linear, 3-5 mm long; stipules lanceolate, 5-9 mm long, pubescent, persistent. Inflorescences of axillary racemes of few distal flowers, 4-16 cm long; bracts lanceolate, pubescent, forming an involucre at the base of the calyx. Calyx tubular, reddish, striate, 2.5-3.5 cm long, with five subulate sepals, acuminate, 0.8-1 cm long, the ventral sepals slightly longer than the lateral ones; corolla red or red-orange, the standard oblong-oblanceolate, unguiculate, 5-6 cm long, the wings oblong, 9-13 mm long, the keel elliptic-oblong, 17-23 mm long; stamens 10, staminal column white, the anthers white; ovary superior, linear, 8-11 mm long, white-pubescent. Legume subsessile, oblong, flattened, laterally compressed between the seeds, 5-7 × 0.5-0.6 cm, pubescent, with the margins sinuate and the calyx persistent at the base. Seeds 4-9 per fruit, dark brown or black, oblong, 4-6 mm long.

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

Status: Native, not very common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 7074; Goll, G.P. 937; Sintenis, P. 151; 5710; 5942; Stevenson, J.A. 248.
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Canavalia rosea (Sw.) Dc., Prodr. 2: 404. 1825.

Fig. 99. H-L

Basionym: Dolichos roseus Sw.

Synonyms: Dolichos maritimus Aubl.

Canavalia maritima (Aubl.) Urb.

Canavalia maritima Thouars

Dolichos obtusifolius Lam.

Canavalia obtusifolia (Lam.) Dc.

Woody vine, creeping or twining, much branched from the base, attainig 2-6 m in length. Stems smooth, glabrescent, green, mulberrycolored at the nodes, with adventitious roots. Leaves alternate, trifoliolate; leaflets 4-10.4 × 3-10 cm, chartaceous, oblong, ovate, or orbicular, involute, the apex obtuse, rounded, retuse and mucronate, the base cuneate or rounded, the margins entire; upper surface glabrous except for the puberulent veins; lower surface puberulent, yellowish green, dull, with prominent venation; rachis sulcate, villous, 3-4.5 cm long; petiolules swollen, villous, ca. 1 cm long; petioles sulcate, villous, swollen at the base, 4-6 cm long; stipels absent; stipules triangular, persistent. Inflorescences of axillary pseudoracemes, 25-30 cm long, the flowers in pairs on each nodal swelling along the rachis; bracts minute, deciduous. Calyx 8-11 mm long, yellowish green, with five lobes, three small and two large, puberulent; corolla violet-pink, the standard broadly elliptical, 2-2.5 cm long, reflexed, white in the center, the wings and the keel shorter than the standard. Legume 10-17 × 2.3-2.5 cm, oblong, not flattened, subwoody, with three keels on each valve. Seeds numerous, 1.5-1.8 cm long, ellipsoid, brown, with the hilum white.

Phenology: Flowering and fruiting almost throughout the year.

Status: Native, very common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 776; 2018; 2911; 4320; 5301; 6975.
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Securidaca virgata Sw., Prodr. 104. 1788.

Fig. 1E; 141. E-M

Synonym: Elsota virgata (Sw.) Kuntze

Woody vine, twining, with pendulous branches, attainig 5-10 m in length. Stems cylindrical, puberulent, slightly flattened when mature; cross section with bands of vascular tissue alternating with bands of parenchyma. Leaves alternate, 1-2 cm long, obovate or oblong, minutely strigulose, the apex rounded, retuse, the base cuneate or obtuse, the margins entire, revolute, the venation inconspicuous on both surfaces; petioles ca. 1 mm long, strigulose. Inflorescences of terminal racemes; pedicels ca. 6 mm long, minutely sericeous; calyx of 5 sepals, unequal, the 3 outer ones 2-4 mm long, pink, rounded, strigulose, the inner ones petaloid, 8-12 mm long, pink, rounded; keel white, ca. 8 mm long, the upper petals yellow, fleshy, slightly shorter than the keel. Samara 3-4 cm long, minutely sericeous, especially the seminiferous locule, the wing with reticulate venation, 2-3 × 1 cm.

Phenology: Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.

Status: Native, very common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 3747; 6954; 7127; 9453; Britton, N.L. 983; 4478; 5809; Cowell, J.F. 582; Eggers, B. Goll, G.P. 410; 586; 1055; Heller, A.A. 4385; Holdridge, L. 215; Sargent, F.H. 250; Shafer, J.A. 2380; Sintenis, P. 46; 1065; 5291; 6658; Stevenson, J.A. 102; Underwood, L.M. 77; Webster, G.L. 8844.
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Vigna luteola (Jacq.) Benth. in Mart., Fl. Bras. 15(1): 194. 1859.

Fig. 115. D-H

Basionym: Dolichos luteolus Jacq.

Synonyms: Dolichos repens L.

Vigna repens (L.) Kuntze, non Baker

Herbaceous vine, creeping or climbing, twining, attainig 10 m in length. Stems branched from the base, slender, cylindrical, ferruginouspilose. Leaves alternate, trifoliolate; leaflets chartaceous, ovate or lanceolate, 2.5-7.5 × 1-5 cm; upper surface glabrous, with slightly prominent venation; lower surface sparsely appressedpubescent, especially on the prominent veins, the apex acute, obtuse, or less frequently acuminate, the base cuneate to rounded, slightly asymmetrical on the lateral leaflets, the margins entire, ciliate; petiolules 2-3 mm long, pubescent; rachis 9-13 mm long, marginate or narrowly winged; petioles 2-9 cm long, marginate or narrowly winged; stipels oblong, 2-2.5 mm long; stipules lanceolate, ca. 3 mm long, auriculate at the base. Pseudoracemes axillary, up to 30 cm long, the flowers 1-2 per node, which are found in the distal portion of the inflorescence; pedicels 4-5 mm long, erect, with the calyx in a horizontal position or reflexed. Calyx green, campanulate, 4-5 mm long, the sepals unequal, the longer (3 mm) ones subulate, the shorter (1.5-2 mm) ones deltate, ciliate. Corolla brilliant yellow; standard rounded, 1.5-2 cm long; the wings and the keel as long as the standard. Legume pointing downward, linear, almost cylindrical, slightly curved, with the margins slightly sinuate between the seeds, 4-7 cm long, ca. 5 mm wide, glabrous or pubescent, blackish on drying. Seeds oblong or rectangular, ca. 5 mm long, reddish brown.

Phenology: Flowering almost throughout the year.

Status: Native, very common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 2994; 4005; 5179; 7089; 7915; 9389; 10773; 11240; Britton, N.L. 208; 1594; 5511; Goll, G.P. 16; 954; Heller, A.A. 240; 4682; Shafer, J.A. 2729; Sintenis, P. 170; 3947; 6715; Stevenson, J.A. 5474; Underwood, L.M. 5; Webster, G.L. 8621.
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Mimosa ceratonia L, Sp. Pl. 523. 1753.

Fig. 119. A-D

Synonym: Lomoplis ceratonia (L.) Raf.

Woody vine, climbing, much branched, that supports itself on other plants by means of spines that are borne along the length of its stem and leaf axes, attaining 2-6 m in length. Stems green or with a reddish tinge, obtusely quadrangular, glabrous, striate, with numerous recurved spines, becoming almost cylindrical and grayish when mature. Leaves alternate, 7-15 cm long, bipinnate; pinnae 4 or 5, pairs opposite; rachis sulcate, with numerous recurved spines; leaflets opposite, 3-8 pairs per pinna, 1-1.5 cm long, obliquely obovate to almost rounded, chartaceous, the apex rounded, the base rounded-obtuse, asymmetrical, the margins slightly revolute, sometimes ciliate; upper surface dark green, dull, glabrous; lower surface pale green, dull, with prominent venation; stipules 8-10 mm long, lanceolate. Heads 1.3-1.7 cm in diameter, in terminal racemes; peduncles 1-2 cm long, with numerous recurved spines. Calyx 0.7-1 mm long, glabrous; corolla pink, infundibuliform, ca. 2 mm long, with three petals or lobes; filaments white, 4-6 mm long. Legumes flattened, straight or slightly curved, 4-6 × 1.5-1.7 cm, coriaceous, dehiscent by the walls that separate from the thickened margin, covered with recurved spines. Seeds 7-8 mm long, oblongelliptical, flattened, dark brown.

Phenology: Flowering from June to January and fruiting from December to March.

Status: Native, very common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 5152; 10512; Britton, N.L. 897; 1645; Goll, G.P. 406; Heller, A.A. 220; 6388; Shafer, J.A. 2717; Sintenis, P. 5050; Stevenson, J.A. 251; Underwood, L.M. 663.
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Neorudolphia volubilis (Willd.) Britton in Britton & Wilson, Bot. Porto Rico 5: 426. 1924.

Fig. 109. A-H

Basionym: Rudolphia volubilis Willd.

Woody vine, twining, attainig 5-10 m in length. Stems strong, flexible, cylindrical, slightly flattened and with numerous lenticels when mature. Leaves alternate, unifoliolate; leaflets coriaceous, (5)6-13 × 4-9 cm, ovate or broadly ovate, the apex long- or short-acuminate, the base cordiform or less frequently truncate, the margins entire or sinuate, revolute; upper surface dark green, slightly shiny, with slightly prominent venation and puberulent; lower surface yellowish green, with the reticulate venation prominent; petiolule thickened, pubescent, 4-5 mm long, with a pair of stipels at the base; petioles 2.5-5 cm long, sulcate, puberulent, with the base broadened. Inflorescences of cauliflorous or axillary pseudoracemes, pendulous, 12-24 cm long, the flowers in groups of 2-3 per node of the inflorescence; pedicels 10-12 mm long, pink; bracts minute, lanceolate. Calyx 2.5-3 cm long, pink, fleshy, almost campanulate, the sepals 5, two of which are broad and rounded, the remaining three lanceolate; corolla brilliant red, the standard ca. 5 cm long, oblong, folded in half longitudinally, enclosing the stamens, the remaining 4 petals (the wings and two petals homologous to the keel, which are not fused) ca. 1.5 cm long, linear and recurved; stamens 10, diadelphous, ca. 4 cm long, slightly exposed; ovary short-stipitate, with numerous ovules, the style slender, elongate, sericeous, the stigma punctiform. Fruit an oblong legume, flattened, 6-12 × 1-1.5 cm, pubescent, dehiscent by valves that open in a spiral. Seeds oblong or ovoid, 6-8 mm long, light brown.

Phenology: Flowering from June to December and fruiting from November to April.

Status: Endemic, very common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 2984; Britton, N.L. 1059; 2010; Eggers, B. 1291; Shafer, J.A. 3227; Sintenis, P. 369; 1657; Stevenson, J.A. 240; Underwood, L.M. 91.
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Desmodium incanum Dc., Prodr. 2: 332. 1825.

Fig. 103. D-G

Synonym: Hedysarum canum J.F. Gmel.

Desmodium canum (J.F. Gmel.) Schinz & Thell.

Hedysarum supinum Sw.

Meibomia supina (Sw.) Britton

Decumbent or scandent herb, much branched from the woody base, attainig 1-1.5 m in length. Stems more or less cylindrical, appressedpubescent or pilose, glabrescent with age. Leaves alternate, trifoliolate; leaflets 3-9 × 0.8-3.8 cm, elliptical, oblong, ovate, lanceolate, or exceptionally rounded, chartaceous, involute, the apex obtuse or acute, mucronate, the base obtuse or rounded, the margins entire; upper surface dark green, puberulent; lower surface grayish green, strigulose, with prominent venation; petiolules 1.5-3 mm long, pilose; petioles 0.7-3 cm long, pilose, canaliculate; rachis 3-10 mm long, pilose, canaliculate; stipules ovate to lanceolate, 6-10 mm long, persistent; stipels minute, subulate. Inflorescences of terminal pseudoracemes, 10-18 cm long, pubescent; bracts minute, persistent. Calyx green, campanulate, 2.5-3 mm long, strigulose; corolla pink or pink-violet, the standard ovate, 5-6 mm long, retuse, unguiculate at the base, the wings and the keel as long as the standard. Legume uncinate-pubescent, 2-4 cm long, crenate on the ventral suture, with 5-8 fertile segments. Seeds 2.5-3.5 mm long, oblongelliptical, light brown.

Phenology: Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.

Status: Apparently native, very common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 864; 2291; 2518; 2785; 4159; 9417; 10492; 10587; 10925.
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Centrosema pubescens Benth., Ann. Wiener Mus. Naturgesh. 2: 119. 1837.

Fig. 100. G-I

Synonym: Bradburya pubescens (Benth.) Kuntze

Slightly woody vine, twining, attainig 8 m in length. Stems slender, appressed-pubescent. Leaves alternate, trifoliolate; leaflets ovate, oblong, or elliptical, 3-8 × 1.6-4.5 cm, the apex acute or obtuse, the base rounded or obtuse, the margins entire; both surfaces glabrous to pubescent; upper surface with the venation sunken; lower surface with prominent venation; petiolules thickened, pubescent; petioles sulcate, almost quadrangular, 2-5 cm long, puberulent; stipels subulate, 2-2.5 mm long; stipules ovate, 2-4 mm long.

Flores solitary or in pairs at the end of bracteate, axillary peduncles, 5-10 cm long; bracts oblong, slightly longer than the calyx. Calyx asymmetrically campanulate, the tubular portion 5-7 mm long, with five very unequal lobes, the lateral ones deltate, ca. 1 mm long, the central ones subulate or linear, ca. 6 mm long; corolla pale violet, lavender, or less frequently yellowish or whitish with purple lines, the standard 2-4.5 cm wide, abaxially velvety, the wings and the keel shorter than the standard. Legume linear, 10-20 × 0.6 cm, the apex acuminate, with the margins ribbed, dehiscent by valves that twist on drying. Seeds 8-15 per fruit, oblong-quadrangular, dark brown, dull, 5-6 mm long.

Phenology: Flowering predominantly during the months from November to December, but may be found in flower from September to March.

Status: Native, very common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 256; 1054; 6985; 9452; Axelrod, F. 10817; Britton, N.L. 2823; 6735; 7317; Heller, A.A. 210; 6084; Sargent, F.H. 122; Sintenis, P. 3080; 5588; Wetmore 175.
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Centrosema virginianum (L.) Benth., Comm. Legum. Gen. 56. 1837.

Fig. 100. J-M

Basionym: Clitoria virginiana L.

Synonym: Bradburya virginiana (L.) Kuntze

Slightly woody vine, twining, attainig 6-7 m in length. Stems slender, strong, cylindrical, finely pubescent. Leaves alternate, trifoliolate; leaflets 2.5-7 × 0.5-2 cm (the terminal one longer than the lateral ones), lanceolate, oblong, ovate, or linear, chartaceous, the apex acute or obtuse, mucronate, the base cuneate to rounded, the margins entire or crenate, ciliate, both surfaces glabrous or puberulent; lower surface with prominent venation; rachis 0.7-1.5 cm long; petioles 2.3-2.8 cm long, slender, sulcate, thickened; stipels narrowly subulate, 4-5 mm long; stipules subulate, 3-5 mm long, persistent, markedly veined. Flowers 1-4, at the end of a bracteate axillary peduncle; bracts ovate or ovatelanceolate, persistent, notably veined. Calyx green, asymmetrically campanulate, with five subulate, subequal lobes, the tubular portion ca. 2 mm long, the lateral lobes ca. 5 mm long, the central lobes 7-8 mm long; corolla lilac or almost white, the standard broadly ovate, 3-4 cm wide, white in the center with purple lines, the wings and keel unguiculate, much shorter than the standard. Legume linear, 10-13 × 0.3-0.4 cm, the apex acuminate, the margins ribbed, dehiscent by valves that twist on drying. Seeds numerous, 3-4 mm long, oblong, brown or light brown with dark brown spots.

Phenology: Flowering and fruiting almost throughout the year.

Status: Native, very common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 715; 823; 1929; 2318; 3896; 4409; 5426; 6959; 7851; 7881; 9414; 11227; 11383; Britton, N.L. 7; 262; 8125; Fisher, M.J. 8; Goll, G.P. 8; 144; 377; 526; Heller, A.A. 926; 6415; McKee 10603; Sargent, F.H. 355; Shafer, J.A. 2345; Sintenis, P. 2306; 3573; Stevenson, J.A. 17; 30; 729; 2198.
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Pueraria phaseoloides (Roxb.) Benth., J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 9: 125. 1865.

Fig. 111. A-D

Basionym: Dolichos phaseoloides Roxb.

Herbaceous vine, twining, much branched, attainig 15 m in length. Stems cylindrical, pilose. Leaves alternate, trifoliolate; leaflets 3-12(14) × 2.9-8.7(13) cm, chartaceous, ovate or rhombic, the lateral ones asymmetrical, the apex acute, the base cuneate on the central leaflet, rounded-obtuse on the lateral ones, the margins entire; upper surface dark green, dull, pubescent, especially on the veins; lower surface pale green, strigose, with prominent venation; petiolules swollen, 4-5 mm long, pubescent; petioles sulcate, pubescent, up to 12 cm long, with the base swollen; stipules narrowly lanceolate, 3-5 mm long; stipels subulate, minute, persistent. Pseudoracemes axillary, up to 25 cm long, with 2-3 flowers per node; bracts minute, persistent; peduncles pubescent. Calyx campanulate, ca. 5 mm long. Legume linear, flattened, 6-9 cm long, slightly curved, dehiscent by valves that open in a spiral, the valves septate between the seeds. Seeds numerous, ca. 3 mm long, oblong, dark brown to almost black.

Phenology: Flowering and fruiting from November to March.

Status: Exotic, naturalized, very aggressive and very common.

Commentary: Apparently originally introduced on lands of the Agricultural Experiment Station in Mayagüez in Puerto Rico in 1940 from material from Malaya; today this species has a wide distribution throughout Puerto Rico.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 2411; 3740; 5432; 6966; Axelrod, F. 5819; 9472; Hermann, F.A. s.n.; Liogier, A.H. 10539; 10574.
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Macroptilium lathyroides (L.) Urb., Symb. Antill. 9: 457. 1928.

Fig. 107. E-J

Basionym: Phaseolus lathyroides L.

Synonym: Phaseolus semierectus L.

Erect or clambering herb, scarcely twining, with numerous basal or lateral branches, attainig 1.5-2(3) m in length. Stems almost cylindrical, up to 5 mm in diameter, pubescent, glabrescent. Leaves alternate, trifoliolate; leaflets elliptical, ovate, or lanceolate, 3-5 × 2-3 cm, chartaceous, the apex mucronate, acute or obtuse, the base obtuse or cuneate, the margins entire; upper surface glabrous, dark green, dull; lower surface pale green, dull, puberulent, with prominent venation; petiolules thickened, pubescent, 2-3 mm long; petioles sulcate, pubescent, sometimes reddish, with the base thickened; stipules lanceolate, 5-10 mm long, with notable parallel venation; stipels subulate, minute. Inflorescences of axillary pseudoracemes, 15-30 cm long, the flowers paired on the swellings on the distal portion of the rachis. Calyx campanulate, 5-7 mm long, strigose or puberulent, the sepals lanceolate, two of which are slightly smaller than the rest; corolla maroon, pink, and sometimes white, the standard 1-1.5 cm long, the wings longer than the standard, concave, the keel shorter than the standard, recurved in the form of a spiral. Legume linear, somewhat flattened and recurved, 6-12 cm × ca. 3 mm, dehiscent by valves that open in a spiral. Seeds numerous, 2-3 mm long, oblongreniform, dark brown.

Phenology: Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.

Status: Apparently native, very common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 367; 860; 1854; 2117; 2757; 3879; 5187; 5393; 10715; 11362; 11498; Britton, N.L. 8786; Goll, G.P. 10; 149; Heller, A.A. 30; Liogier, A.H. 9966; Sargent, F.H. 91; Shafer, J.A. 2379; 2672; Sintenis, P. 376; Stevenson, J.A. 59; Underwood, L.M. 134; 164.
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Rhynchosia minima (L.) Dc., Prodr. 2: 385. 1825.

Fig. 111. E-H

Basionym: Dolichos minimus L.

Synonyms: Rhynchosia minima var. lutea Eggers

Rhynchosia minima var. pauciflora Kuntze

Dolicholus minimus (L.) Medic.

Non-woody vine, twining, attainig 1-4 m in length. Stems slender, densely pubescent, striate, cylindrical, with numerous resinous dots in the furrows. Leaves alternate, trifoliolate, chartaceous; margins entire, slightly revolute; upper surface dull, glabrous or white-pubescent, especially on the veins, with numerous orange resinous dots; lower surface pale green, glabrous, puberulent or pubescent, with minute orange resinous dots and the primary and secondary venation prominent; terminal leaflet rhombic, 0.9-2.8(7.5) × 0.6-2.8(6.3) cm, the apex acute or obtuse, the base cuneate; lateral leaflets asymmetrical, elliptical-ovate, slightly smaller than the terminal leaflet, the base obtuse; petiolules densely pubescent, 1-1.5 mm long; petiole striate, densely pubescent, 1.5-2 cm long; stipules subulate, 2-2.5 mm long, densely pubescent; stipels subulate, ca. 3 mm long. Inflorescence a raceme, as long as or longer than the leaves. Calyx green, the lobes lanceolate, 2-3 mm long; corolla yellow with purple or brown venation, the standard 5 mm long, orbicularovate; wings oblong, unguiculate, 4-5.5 mm long, with resinous dots. Legume falcate to oblongovate, flattened, minutely villous, 9-20 × 3-5 mm, with a beak at the apex. Seeds 2-3, ovate-reniform, dark brown to almost black, 3-4 mm long.

Phenology: Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.

Status: Probably exotic, naturalized, very common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 1957; 2337; 3921; 5374; 5398; 7222; 7776; 11274; Britton, N.L. 1857; Goll, G.P. 574; 733; Heller, A.A. 32; 4571; 6288; Johnston, J.R. 1157; Sargent, F.H. 587; Shafer, J.A. 2484; Sintenis, P. 117; 3140; 3888; 5493; Stevenson, J.A. 1157; 1351; Underwood, L.M. 212; 712.
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