Anredera vesicaria (Lam.) C.F.Gaertn.

  • Authority

    Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro. 2005. Vines and climbing plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 51: 1-483.

  • Family

    Basellaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Anredera vesicaria (Lam.) C.F.Gaertn.

  • Description

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    Description - Herbaceous vine, twining, attaining 15 m in length. Roots tuberous. Stems slender, glabrous, cylindrical, sometimes with a reddish tonality. Leaves alternate; blades 3-11 x 2-6.5 cm, ovate, glabrous, fleshy, the apex acute or acuminate, the base rounded, obtuse, or cordiform, the margins entire or crenate; upper surface dull, with subconspicuous venation; lower surface slightly shiny, with prominent venation; petioles 0.4-2 cm long, slightly winged. Flowers aromatic, functionally unisexual, in axillary pendulous racemes, 10-20 cm long, or in terminal pendulous panicles, 30-50 cm long; pedicels with deciduous bracts. Calyx white, of ovate sepals, ca. 0.4 mm long; corolla white, the petals ovate, 1.5-2.2 mm long, turning cream-colored or remaining white on drying; stamens 5, the filaments connate at the base, 3-4 mm long, the anthers lanceolate, 0.2-0.4 mm long; ovary glabrous, globose, stigmatic branches twice as long as the style. Utricles obovoid, slightly triangular, 1-1.3 mm. long, crowned by the fleshy style.

    Phenology - Flowering from September to April. The populations of this species in Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Lesser Antilles contain staminate flowers only and never produce fruits. The reproduction of this species on the islands mentioned seems to be exclusively asexual by means of underground tubers (Sperling, 1987).

    Conservation Status - Exotic, cultivated and naturalized, rather common.

  • Common Names

    suelda con suelda, consuelda, Madera vine