Macfadyena unguis-cati (L.) A.H. Gentry
IUCN
NCBI
EOL Text
Macfadyena unguis-cati (L.) A. H. Gentry, Brittonia 25: 236. 1973.
Basionym: Bignonia unguis-cati L.
Synonyms: Batocydia unguis (L.) Dc.
Doxantha unguis-cati (L.) Miers
Woody vine, which climbs by tendrils and attains 10-15 m in length. Stems cylindrical, lenticellate, up to 6 cm in diameter; cross section of the mature stem with multilobed xylem, the lobes alternating with radially arranged phloem tissue; nodes thickened; interpetiolar zone not glandular. Pseudostipules ovate, ca. 5 mm long. Leaves opposite, 2-foliolate, with a terminal tendril, trifid like a claw, generally of short duration; leaflets 6-16 × 1.2-7 cm, elliptical, oblong, or obovate, chartaceous or coriaceous, glabrous or with punctiform scales, the apex acute or acuminate, the base acute, rounded, or unequal, the margins undulate or rarely denticulate; upper surface dark, shiny, with sunken venation; lower surface light green, dull, with prominent venation; petioles 1-4.5 cm long, petiolules 0.5-2.5 cm long, both glabrous. Flowers solitary or in pairs, axillary; pedicel ca. 2 cm long. Calyx green, campanulate, 12-16 mm long, with 5 unequal lobes; corolla brilliant yellow, infundibuliform, 4-8 cm long, the limb 3-6 cm in diameter, with 5 unequal lobes, rounded; stamens 4, didynamous, inserted; ovary covered with punctiform scales. Capsule linear, somewhat woody, brown, 25-95 cm long; seeds numerous, 1-3.5 cm long, with 2 membranaceous wings.
Phenology: Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.
Status: Native, very common.
Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 2110; 2803; 3958; 9352; 11272; Axelrod, F. 4740; Britton, N.L. 66; Heller, A.A. 1233; Howard, R.A. 15754; Sargent, F.H. 74; Shafer, J.A. 2001; 2349; Sintenis, P. 550; 862; 1242; 1285; 1415; 3270; 5000; Underwood, L.M. 371; 782; Stevenson, J.A. 1757.
Lianas, glabras o pubérulas. Crecen adheridas a los árboles por medio de zarcillos. Pseudoestípulas de 2 a 3 mm.
Hojas bifolioladas. Folíolos ovados o lanceolados, de 3 a 14 por 0.9 a 4.8 cm., acuminados, agudos u obtusos en el ápice, obtusos o cuneados en la base, glabros o puberulentos a lo largo de los nervios. Zarcillo trífido, uncinado. Pecíolos de 0.8 a 3.5 cm., glabros o apenas pubérulos. Inflorescencia en panícula reducida, axilar. Cáliz cupular. Margen algo sinuoso, de 0.7 a 1.6 cm., glabro, membranáceo. Corola amarilla, tubular - infundibuliforme, de 4 a 6.5 cm., glabra o glabrada. Lóbulos de 1 a 2.4 cm. Cápsula linear, comprimida y algo leñosa, de 20 a 45 cm. por 0.9 a 1.7 cm., negra al secarse, aguda en los extremos, con el nervio medio apenas elevado o inconspícuo. Se reconoce por su cáliz truncado, sin apículo; no crece en sitios pantanosos.De bosques secos a bosques húmedos.
Native to Central and South America; a cultivated plant or naturalised weed in other countries.
Locally common
Climber, sometimes ascending to great heights in trees, sometimes creeping along the ground. Roots tuberous. Leaves 2-foliolate; leaflets ovate to lanceolate. Tendrils 3-fid, curving like cat's claws. Flowers spectacular, but usually short-lived. Corolla yellow, 5-7 cm across the lobes. Fruit up to 40 cm. Seeds 3-4 × 1 cm, winged.
Fl. Per.: April and later in August.
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | eFloras.org Copyright © Missouri Botanical Garden |
| Source | http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=200021425 |
United States
Origin: Exotic
Regularity: Regularly occurring
Currently: Unknown/Undetermined
Confidence: Confident
The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.
Distribución: En bosques húmedos de elevaciones medias y bajas, desde la costa hasta la Cordillera Central. También en Culebra, Desecheo, Mona, Vieques, St. Croix, St. John, St. Thomas, Tortola y Virgen Gorda; a través de las Antillas y América tropical y subtropical.
Bosques Públicos: Cambalache, Ceiba, Desecheo, El Yunque, Guánica, Maricao, Mona, Río Abajo, Susúa, Toro Negro y Vega.