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

Capparis flexuosa (L.) L., Sp. Pl. ed. 2, 722. 1762.

Fig. 56. A-E

Basionym: Morisonia flexuosa L.

Synonym: Capparis saligna Vahl

Woody shrub, erect or clambering, much branched from the base, 2-10 m in length. Branches pendulous, glabrous, light brown, smooth, attaining 20 cm in diameter at the base. Leaves alternate; blades 4-10 × 1.5-2.5 cm, oblong or linear, coriaceous, glabrous, the apex rounded or emarginate, the base rounded, the margins entire, revolute; upper surface yellowish green, shiny or dull; lower surface pale green, dull, with a prominent midvein; petioles 5-8 mm long, light brown. Flowers fragrant, nocturnal, clustered in terminal corymbs. Calyx yellowish green, of 4 imbricate sepals, rounded, fleshy, 6-10 mm long; petals green or yellowish green, 4, elliptical, 1.5-3 cm long, concave; stamens numerous, white, 4-6 cm long. Follicles fleshy, cylindrical-torulose, 6-8 cm long, light brown, with longitudinal dehiscence, the inner walls red-orange; seeds pendulous from the parietal placenta, oblong, ca. 1 cm long, with a white, fleshy covering.

Phenology: Flowering from March to October and fruiting in August and September.

Status: Native, very common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 1026; 1826; 1947; 2312; 2351; 2521; 4664; 4687; 4688; 5202; 7079; Axelrod, F. 6338; Gregory 188; Heller, A.A. 6163; Johnston, J.R. 798; Little, E.L. 21636; Mill. 1667; Sargent, F.H. 46; Shafer, J.A. 2658; 2767; Sintenis, P. 869; 3334; 3379; 3613; 3841; 3954; 4999; 5487; Stevenson, J.A. 2502; 5490; Underwood, L.M. 586; 592; 645.
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