Monographs Details:
Authority:
Acevedo-RodrÃguez, Pedro. 2005. Vines and climbing plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 51: 1-483.
Acevedo-RodrÃguez, Pedro. 2005. Vines and climbing plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 51: 1-483.
Family:
Solanaceae
Solanaceae
Description:
Description - Woody vine, scandent, that supports itself on the host plants by means of recurved spines and attains 2-6 m in length. Stems cylindrical, stellate-pubescent, with few or numerous recurved spines, yellowish. Leaves alternate, 10-18 x 3.7-7 cm, lanceolate, ovate, or elliptical, chartaceous, the apex acute, obtuse, or acuminate, the base obtuse or rounded, asymmetrical, the margins entire; upper surface dull, with some scattered stellate hairs, with the venation flat or slightly prominent; lower surface light green, dull, sparsely stellate-pubescent, with prominent venation, the midvein witli yellowish recurved spines, petioles stellate-pubescent 1-5 cm long, usually with recurved spines. Flowers in lateral racemes, 2-4 cm long, stellate-pubescent; pedicels stellate-pubescent, 1.5-1.7 em long. Calyx green, campanulate, stellate-pubescent, 4.5-5 mm long, of 5 subulate sepals; corolla white, deeply lobate. stellate-pubescent on the outer surface, the tube ca. 1.5 mm long, the lobes 8-1 1 mm long, oblong, oblong-lanceolate, or ovate, expanded or slightly reflexed; anthers subulate, connivent, 6.2-6.5 mm long, yellow; style projecting beyond the anthers, the stigma capitate. Berry globose, fleshy, brilliant red or orange when ripe, 0.9-1.3 cm in diameter, glabrous. Seeds numerous, circular, flattened, yellowish, 3.2-3.5 mm in diameter.
Phenology - Collected in flower and fruit from January to August.
Conservation Status - Native, uncommon.
Description - Woody vine, scandent, that supports itself on the host plants by means of recurved spines and attains 2-6 m in length. Stems cylindrical, stellate-pubescent, with few or numerous recurved spines, yellowish. Leaves alternate, 10-18 x 3.7-7 cm, lanceolate, ovate, or elliptical, chartaceous, the apex acute, obtuse, or acuminate, the base obtuse or rounded, asymmetrical, the margins entire; upper surface dull, with some scattered stellate hairs, with the venation flat or slightly prominent; lower surface light green, dull, sparsely stellate-pubescent, with prominent venation, the midvein witli yellowish recurved spines, petioles stellate-pubescent 1-5 cm long, usually with recurved spines. Flowers in lateral racemes, 2-4 cm long, stellate-pubescent; pedicels stellate-pubescent, 1.5-1.7 em long. Calyx green, campanulate, stellate-pubescent, 4.5-5 mm long, of 5 subulate sepals; corolla white, deeply lobate. stellate-pubescent on the outer surface, the tube ca. 1.5 mm long, the lobes 8-1 1 mm long, oblong, oblong-lanceolate, or ovate, expanded or slightly reflexed; anthers subulate, connivent, 6.2-6.5 mm long, yellow; style projecting beyond the anthers, the stigma capitate. Berry globose, fleshy, brilliant red or orange when ripe, 0.9-1.3 cm in diameter, glabrous. Seeds numerous, circular, flattened, yellowish, 3.2-3.5 mm in diameter.
Phenology - Collected in flower and fruit from January to August.
Conservation Status - Native, uncommon.