Cissus obovata Vahl

  • Authority

    Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.

  • Family

    Vitaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Cissus obovata Vahl

  • Description

    Species Description - Slender liana 3—5(—15) m long, with numerous lateral branches; stems fleshy, grayish, usually zigzag-shaped, glabrous or with scattered hairs, especially at nodes. Leaves trifoliolate; leaflets 0.7-4 x 0.5-2.5 cm (the central leaflet much larger than the lateral ones), obovate, elliptic, to nearly rounded, chartaceous, glabrous or rarely pubescent, the apex rounded, mucronulate, the base cuneate to rounded, unequal on lateral leaflets, the margins crenate to scattered-serrate above the middle; petioles 0.8-5 cm long. Cymes opposite to leaves, the peduncles glabrous to puberulent, 1-3.5 cm long, many-branched; pedicels reddish-tinged. Calyx reddish, ca. 1 mm long; petals 1-2 mm long, reddish, triangular, deciduous; stamens ca. 1.5 mm long. Berry globose to globose-obovoid, black, ca. 4 mm long.

  • Distribution

    An occasional liana of moist to dry areas. Camelberg Peak (W293). Also on St. Croix and St. Thomas; Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and the northern Lesser Antilles.

    Saint John Virgin Islands of the United States South America| West Indies| Puerto Rico South America| West Indies| Saint Thomas Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America|