Plumbago scandens L.
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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
Plumbaginaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Description - Slightly woody shrub, scandent, with numerous basal or lateral branches, attaining 2-3 in in length. Stems cylindrical, striate, glabrous. Leaves alternate, chartaceous. 3-13 x 1-6 cm, ovate, oblong-lanceolate, spathulate, or oblanceolate, the apex acute, acuminate, or obtuse, the base obtuse, rounded, cuneate. or attenuate, sometimes unequal, the margins entire; upper surface glabrous; lower surface with lepidote dots; petioles 5-10 mm long. Inflorescences of terminal panicles, up to 30 cm long; peduncles glabrous, striate, sparsely covered with sessile glands; bracteoles elliptical, ca. 2 mm long; pedicels ca. I cm long. Calyx green, 7-11 mm long, the ribs with sticky stipitate glands; corolla white, hypocrateriform, the tube 1.2-2 cm long, the lobes 0.5-1 cm long, obovate, mucronate; stamens exserted, the anthers pale violet. Fruit an oblong capsule, covered by the persistent calyx and sticky.
Phenology - Collected in flower from January to August.
Conservation Status - Exotic, cultivated and naturalized, common in our gardens.