Merremia quinquefolia (L.) Haller f.
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Authority
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro. 2005. Vines and climbing plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 51: 1-483.
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Family
Convolvulaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Description - Herbaceous vine, creeping or climbing, twining. 2-3 m in length, with scarce watery latex. Stems slender, cylindrical, sparsely hirsute or glabrous, sometimes with a reddish or mulberry-colored tonality. Leaves alternate, (3-)5-palmately compound, chartaceous; leaflets 2-7 x 0.5-1 .2 cm, elliptical or lanceolate, glabrous, the apex acuminate, mucronate, the base acute and sessile, the margins serrate; upper surface green, dull, glabrous, with the venation sunken; lower surface pale green, dull, glabrous, with prominent venation; petioles slender, 1-3 cm long, hispid or glabrous. Flowers solitary or in simple dichasia; peduncles as long as the petioles, glandular-pubescent; pedicels slender, 8-15 mm long; bracts minute. Calyx green, the sepals unequal, ca. 1 cm long, glabrous, oblong, the apex obtuse; corolla pale yellow or white, infundibuliform, 2-2.2 cm long, the limb with obtuse lobes, slightly reflexed; stamens and stigmas pale yellow, not exserted. Capsules depressed-globose, opening by 4 valves, 0.7-1 cm long, light brown, glabrous; seeds obtusely trigonal, 3-4.5 mm long, black, covered with whitish lanate hairs.
Phenology - Flowering throughout the year, especially from November to May.
Conservation Status - Native, very common.
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Common Names
batatilla blanca