Psiguria pedata (L.) R.A.Howard
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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
Cucurbitaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Description - Monoecious vine, herbaceous, 3-4 m in length and climbing by tendrils. Stems green, slender, striate, glabrous, somewhat fleshy; mature stems fleshy, with the bark very thick, corky, and Assured, with winged longitudinal projections; tendrils lateral, simple, filiform, 10-15 cm long. Leases alternate; blades 7-13.5 x 5-13.5 cm. broadly ovate, deltoid, 3-lobed, 3-5-foliolate, membranaceous or ehartaceous, the venation 5-palmate, the apex acute or acuminate, the lobes obtuse, the base cordiform or hastate, the margins undulate, denticulate, ciliate; upper surface dark green, dull, puberulous, pustulose; lower surface puberulous, sometimes pustulose, light green, dull, with prominent venation; petioles slender, glabrous, 2.5-5 cm long. Staminate flowers in axillary racemes; peduncle as long as or longer than the accompanying leaf; calyx yellowish green, urceolate, 5-7 mm long, the lobes dellate; corolla orange, tubular, ea. 11 mm long, papillose outside, the lobes oblong, ca. 2 cm long; anthers sessile, compressed, lanceolate, 5-8 mm long; pistillode absent. Pistillate flowers solitary or in pairs, axillary, peduncles shorter than the accompanying leaf; calyx and hypanthium fusiform or tubular, 3-3.2 cm long, the lobes subrounded, apiculate, ca. 2 mm long; corolla orange, ca. 2.8 cm long, the lobes free almost to the base, obovate. Berry ellipsoid, smooth, ca. 4 cm long; seeds numerous, elliptical, ca. 7 mm long.
Phenology - Collected in flower in January, May, July, and October and in fruit in July and November.
Conservation Status - Native, locally common.