Tournefortia volubilis L.

  • 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

    Boraginaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Tournefortia volubilis L.

  • Description

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    Description - Twining vine, 2-7 m in length. Stems cylindrical, slender, ferruginous-pubescent to glabrous, lineate-lenticellate when mature. Leaves alternate; blades 3.5-10 x 0.6-3.5 cm, lanceolate, ovate, or less frequently oblong, chartaceous, the apex acuminate or less frequently acute, the base rounded, subcordiform, or less frequently obtuse, sometimes unequal, the margins entire; upper surface pubescent or glabrous, sometimes pustulose, with the venation slightly sunken; lower surface pubescent or less frequently glabrous, pale, with prominent venation; petioles 2-7 mm long. Flowers numerous, sessile or subsessile, in terminal branched scorpioid cymes. Calyx green, crateriform, the sepals subulate, 1-2 mm long, strigose; corolla greenish white or greenish yellow, hypocrateriform, ca. 2 mm long, the tube pubescent outside, the lobes subulate, 1-1 .5 mm long; stamens inserted, the anthers sessile. Drupes ovoid, usually 2-4-lobed, ca. 3 mm in diameter, white, with 2-4 circular black spots.

    Phenology - Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.

    Conservation Status - Native, common.

  • Discussion

    This species ean be distinguished with certainty from T. microphylla by the presence of at least some leaves with acuminate apices (some individuals present leaves with acute apices, but leaves with acuminate apices will always be found). Tournefortia volubilis, as a general rule, has the lower surface of the leaves with rather conspicuous venation, while T. microphylla, on the contrary, has inconspicuous venation.