Macroptilium atropurpureum (DC.) Urb.
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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
Fabaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Description - Herbaceous vine, twining, attaining 3-5 in in length. Stems cylindrical, strigose. Leaves alternate, trifoliolate: leaflets 2-S 1.7-3.5 cm. coriaceous, upper surface dull, pubescent; lower surface densely white-pubescent, with prominent venation, the apex acute or obtuse; terminal leaflet ovate-rhombic, sometimes bilobate, the base cuneate; the lateral leaflets asymmetrical, unilobate, the base cuneate-obtuse; petiolules slender, white-pubescent; petioles 1-7 cm long, white-pubescent; stipules subulate to triangular, white-pubescent, 2.5-3 mm long; stipels subulate, white-pubescent, ca. 2 mm long. Inflorescences of axillary pseudoracemes, erect, 13-26 cm long, the flowers grouped in pairs on the swellings on the distal portion of the rachis; pedicels ca. 2 mm long. Calyx tubular-campanulate, green, with a reddish tonality, strigose-sericeous, 5-7 mm long, the sepals subequal or unequal, or all of them shorter than the tubular portion of the calyx; corolla purple, the standard rounded, ca. 2 cm long, the wings, shorter than the standard, unguiculate, the keel recurved in a spiral; stamens 10, diadelphous; ovary flattened, sericeous, the style slightly curved, the stigma terminal, punctiform. Legume 5-8 x 0.2-0.4 cm, linear, flattened, sericeous. Seeds numerous, ca. 3.6 mm long, dark brown, dull.
Phenology - Phenology: Collected in flower and fruit from January to July.
Conservation Status - Exotic, uncommon, a relatively recent introduction, since it was not reported for Puerto Rico by Britton and Wilson in 1924.