Key to the identification of the climbing plants of Igarassu based on fruiting material
1. Tendrils present, but not associated with the inflorescence.......................................................................................... 2
1. Tendrils absent, or where present just a simple branch .............................................................................................. 34
2. Leaves opposite............................................................................................................................................................. 3
2. Leaves alternate ............................................................................................................................................................ 6
3. Leaves simple ................................................................................................................................ Strychnos parviflora
3. Leaves compound ......................................................................................................................................................... 4
4. Leaflets bearing two dark glands at their base, branches of the inflorescence flattened in cross-section ...................... ............................................................................................................................................. Phryganocydia corymbosa
4. Leaflets without dark glands, branches of the inflorescence cylindrical in cross-section ............................................ 5
5. Fruits oblongoid, seeds not winged ................................................................................... Adenocalymma hypostictum
5. Frutis elongated, seeds winged .............................................................................................................. Lundia cordata
6. Leaves simple or 1-foliolate compound........................................................................................................................ 7
6. Leaves compound and with more than one foliole..................................................................................................... 26
7. Tendrils hook-like ......................................................................................................................................................... 8
7. Tendrils twining ............................................................................................................................................................ 9
8. Basal third of the leaflet connate; fruit indehiscent ..................................................................... Phanera trichosepala
8. Basal two-thirds of the leaflets connate; fruit dehiscent .................................................................. Phanera outimouta
9. Tendrils axillary to the leaves ..................................................................................................................................... 10
9. Tendril not axillary to the leaves................................................................................................................................. 19
10. Fruits winged, grouped in short (<20cm) racemes ............................................................................... Gouania virgata
10. Fruits berries, solitary, in pairs or long (> 20cm) racemes .......................................................................................... 11
11. Leaves entire ............................................................................................................................................................... 12
11. Leaves 2- or more lobbed ........................................................................................................................................... 14
12. Fruits grouped in racemes up to 1.5 m in length ................................................................................. Passiflora ovalis
12. Fruits solitary or in pairs............................................................................................................................................. 13
13. Stem 4-angulate in cross-section; petiole with 2-6 sessile glands ........................................................ Passiflora alata
13. Stem cylindrical in cross-section; petiole with 2 stalked glands ..................................................... Passiflora galbana
14. Leaves 5-lobbed ............................................................................................................................ Passiflora cincinnata
14. Leaves 2- or 3-lobbed ................................................................................................................................................. 15
15. Mature fruits never more than 15mm long ................................................................................................................. 16
15. Mature fruits always more than 15mm long ............................................................................................................... 17
16. Stem hairy, flattened in cross-section ................................................................................................. Passiflora misera
16. Stem glabrous, cylindrical in cross-section .................................................................................... Passiflora suberosa
17. Petiole with two sessile glands ............................................................................................................ Passiflora edulis
17. Petiole with 2-6 stalked glands ................................................................................................................................... 18
18. Apex of the leaves and stipules mucronate ................................................................................. Passiflora watsoniana
18. Apex of the leaves and stipules truncate ........................................................................................ Passiflora edmundoi
19. Tendrils opposite to the leaves (Fig. 3A) ........................................................................................... Cissus verticillata
19. Tendrils in the leaf sheath, at the basis of the inflorescence, or forming an acute angle with petiole (Fig. 3B, C, D, F, G) ................................................................................................................................................................................ 20
20. Tendrils two, in the apex of the leaf sheath (Fig. 3G) ....................................................................... Smilax syphilitica
20. Tendril solitary, in the leaf’s axils, forming an acute angle with the petiole or at the basis of the inflorescence (Fig. 3D) .............................................................................................................................................................................. 21 21. Leaves glabrous .......................................................................................................................................................... 22
21. Leaves hairy................................................................................................................................................................ 23
22. Latex watery; seeds arilate................................................................................................................. Psiguria umbrosa
22. Latex absent; seeds without an aril .............................................................................................. Melothria fluminensis
23. Mature fruits green or yellow striped ......................................................................................................................... 24
23. Mature entirely yellow to orange................................................................................................................................ 25
24. Petioles to 3 cm long; leaves scabrous on the adaxial surface.......................................................... Gurania spinulosa
24. Petioles to 15 cm long; leaves pubescent on the adaxial surface..................................................... Guranis acuminata
25. Mature fruit orange, dehiscent; seeds red .................................................................................... Momordica charantia
25. Mature fruit yellow (rarely red), indehiscent; seeds white ................................................................ Cayaponia tayuya
26. Tendrils borne opposite to the leaves (Fig. 3A).......................................................................................... Cissus erosa
26. Tendrils borne in the axils of the leaves or at the basis of the inflorescence (Fig. 3B, C, D, F, G)............................ 27
27. Fruits fleshy ................................................................................................................................................................ 28
27. Fruits dry..................................................................................................................................................................... 32
28. Leaves with 2 or 3 foliolules....................................................................................................................................... 29
28. Leaves with more than 3-foliolules ............................................................................................................................ 30
29. Plants glabrous; fruits solitary ........................................................................................................... Psiguria triphylla
29. Plants pubscent to scrabous; fruit borne in racemes ..................................................................... Gurania bignoniacea
30. Fruits without wings ........................................................................................................................... Paullinia pinnata
30. Fruit 3-winged............................................................................................................................................................. 31
31. Leaf margin entire; wings of the fruit obovate, apiculate................................................................ Paullinia racemosa
31. Leaf margin dentate; wings of the fruit elliptical, not apiculate ........................................................ Paullinia trigonia
32. Stem flattened in cross-section; leaves pinnate ........................................................................ Machaerium aculeatum
32. Stem cylindrical in cross-section; leaves 3-foliolate or ternate .................................................................................. 33
33. Fruit divided into three oblong-winged samaras ....................................................................... Serjania subinpunctata
33. Fruit divided into three ovate-winged samaras............................................................................ Serjania salzmaniana
34. Leaves opposite or verticillate .................................................................................................................................... 35
34. Leaves alternate .......................................................................................................................................................... 48
35. Stipules borne between the petioles........................................................................................................ Sabicea grisea
35. Stipules not borne between the petioles...................................................................................................................... 36
36. Plants hairy ................................................................................................................................................................. 37
36. Plants glabrous............................................................................................................................................................ 42
37. Latex present............................................................................................................................................................... 38
37. Latex absent ................................................................................................................................................................ 40
38. Glands absent from the leaf limb ................................................................................................. Temnadenia odorifera
38. Glands present on the leaf limb .................................................................................................................................. 39
39. Leaves scabrous, glands 2-6, distributed along the midvein ............................................................ Mandevilla scabra
39. Leaves not scabrous, glands 2-6 grouped at the base of the midvein ................................................ Matelea maritima
40. Leaf covered with long fine hairs; fruit divided into 3 samaras ........................................... Stigymaphyllon blanchetii
40. Leaf covered with short thick hairs............................................................................................................................. 50
41. Fruit a 3-valved capsule; seeds winged .................................................................................... Prionostemma asperum
41. Fruits grouped into a capitate compound infrutescence ...................................................................... Mikania obovata
42. Fruit winged ................................................................................................................................................................ 43
42. Fruit not winged.......................................................................................................................................................... 45
43. Wings less than three times the length of the fruit.................................................................... Niendenzuela acutifolia
43. Wings as long as or longer than three times the length of the fruit ............................................................................ 44
44. Wings oblong-falcate (Fig. 2J) ................................................................................................ Heteropterys nordestina
44. Wings asymmetrically obovate (Fig. 2I) ................................................................................. Stigmaphyllon salzmanii
45. Stigma feather-like................................................................................................................................. Clematis dioica
45. Stigma not feather-like................................................................................................................................................ 46
46. Fruit a 3-carpelar capsule; seeds winged .................................................................................... Hippocratea vollubilis
46. Fruit a berry or a 2-carpelar capsule; seeds not winged ............................................................................................. 47
47. Fruit a capsule, 2-carpelar................................................................................................................... Thunbergia alata
47. Fruit a berry ............................................................................................................................ Mendoncia blanchetiana
48. Ochrea present (Fig. 2N) ............................................................................................................. Coccoloba ochreolata
48. Ohcrea absent.............................................................................................................................................................. 49
49. Leaves compound ....................................................................................................................................................... 50
49. Leaves simple or compound unifoliolate.................................................................................................................... 69
50. Palms. Terminal leaflets reduced, stiff and hook-like (Fig. 4A)................................................................................. 51 50. Not palms. Terminal leaflets not hook-like, foliaceus ................................................................................................ 52
51. Raphe unarmed, leaflets unarmed or sometimes armed with thorns at the basis of the leaflets; apex of bracts covered in narrow thorns (Fig. 4B) ..................................................................................................... Desmoncus orthacanthos
51. Raphe and abaxial surface of the leaflets armed with stiff and twisted thorns; apex of bracts covered in pustular thorns (Fig. 4C) ...................................................................................................................... Desmoncus polyacanthos
52. Inflorescences opposite to the leaves .......................................................................................................... Cissus erosa
52. Inflorescences never opposite to the leaves................................................................................................................ 53
53. Leaves digitate ............................................................................................................................. Merremia macrocalyx
53. Leaves with 3 or more leaflets, never digitate ............................................................................................................ 54
54. Prickles or thorns present ................................................................................................................ Senegalia tenuifolia
54. Prickles or thorns absent ............................................................................................................................................. 55
55. Calyx persistent, 2-lobed ............................................................................................................................................ 56
55. Calyx persistent, 4 or 5 lobed ..................................................................................................................................... 58
56. Abaxial surface of the leave glabrous ........................................................................................... Canavalia parviflora
56. Abaxial surface of the leave glabrescent to pubescent ............................................................................................... 57
57. Calyx lobes of unequal lengths ................................................................................................... Canavalia braziliensis
57. Calyx lobes of equal lengths ............................................................................................................ Canavalia dictyota
58. Calyx 5 lobed .............................................................................................................................................................. 58
58. Calyx 4-lobed.............................................................................................................................................................. 66
59. Calyx including a spur ................................................................................................................................................ 60
59. Calyx lacking a spur ................................................................................................................................................... 61
60. Stem cylindrical; calyx lobes unequal in size, the larger lobe twice the length of the calyx tube.................................. ................................................................................................................................................... Centrosema pubescens
60. Stem angulate; calyx lobes of equal size ...................................................................................... Centrosema plumieri
61. Bracteole caducous; calyx campanulate ..................................................................................................................... 62
61. Bracteole persistent; calyx tubular.............................................................................................................................. 63
62. Stems bearing lenticels, glabrous; leaflets lanceolate; calyx persistent in fruit ............................. Connarus blanchetii
62. Stem lacking lenticels, hairy; leaflets ovate; calyx not persistent ............................................. Rynchosia pyramidalis
63. Seeds more than ten per fruit ................................................................................................... Macroptilum prostratum
63. Seeds 4-6 per fruit....................................................................................................................................................... 64
64. Legume obtusely quadrangular; seeds spherical ................................................................................... Clitoria falcata
64. Legume oblong to linear ............................................................................................................................................. 65
65. Plants glabrous; bracteoles stiff, adpressed to the rachis ........................................................................... Vigna luteola
65. Plants hirsute; bracteoles membranaceous, free ..................................................................................... Vigna vexillata
66. Lobes of the calyx of unequal length (Fig. 4D); fruit with urticating hairs… .................................... Mucuna pruriens
66. Lobes of the calyx of equal length; fruit without urticating hairs .............................................................................. 67
67. Plants herbaceous ..................................................................................................................... Centrosema brazilianum
67. Plants woody............................................................................................................................................................... 68
68. Stem hairy; calyx glabrous .................................................................................................................... Dioclea virgata
68. Stem glabrous; calyx hairy .................................................................................................................. Dioclea violacea
69. Fruits grouped in a flower-like inflorescence ............................................................................................................. 70
69. Fruits borne in racemes, panicles, glomerules or solitary........................................................................................... 73
70. Fruits arranged into a capitate compound inflorescence ....................................................... Cyrtocymura scorpioides
70. Fruits protected by two persistent, bright involucral bracts, not arranged into a capitulum ...................................... 71
71. Involucral bracts entire (Fig 4E) ....................................................................................... Dalechampia convolvuloides
71. Involucral bracts 3-lobed ............................................................................................................................................ 72
72. Stipules linear-subulate; seed rough, dark-brown (Fig 4F) ................................................... Dalechampia brasiliensis
72. Stipules reniform; seeds smooth, light-brown (Fig 4F) .................................................. Dalechampia pernambucensis
73. Plant bearing urticating hairs; fruit a 3-lobed capsule; a single seed per locule......................................................... 74
73. Plant not bearing urticating hairs; fruit 3-lobed or not, where 3-lobed more than one seed per locule ..................... 75
74. Leaves 5-veined ..................................................................................................................................... Tragia volubilis
74. Leaves 3-veined ................................................................................................................................. Tragia lessertiana
75. Fruit solitary................................................................................................................................................................ 76
75. Fruit borne in racemes, panicles or glomerule............................................................................................................ 77
76. Pseudo-stipules reniform ......................................................................................................... Aristolochia brasiliensis
76. Pesudo-stipules absent .............................................................................................................. Aristolochia pappillaris
77. Fruit a pod................................................................................................................................................................... 78
77. Fruit not a pod............................................................................................................................................................. 79
78. Apical third of the leaflets connate; bracts linear-lanceolate ....................................................... Phanera trichosepala
78. Basal third of the leaflets connate; bracts reniform ......................................................................... Phanera outimouta
79. Fruits winged .............................................................................................................................................................. 80
79. Fruits not winged ........................................................................................................................................................ 81
80. Fruits 3-winged; seeds numerous, flattened ................................................................................. Dioscorea marginata
80. Fruits 1-winged; one seed per fruit, spherical ............................................................................ Securidaca diversifolia
81. Fruits fleshy ................................................................................................................................................................ 82
81. Fruits dry..................................................................................................................................................................... 84
82. Fruits born in a cime, opposite to the leaves ....................................................................................... Cissus verticilata
82. Fruits born in caulinar or terminal racemes ................................................................................................................ 83
83. Leaves peltate; bracts cordate .................................................................................................. Cissampelos glaberrima
83. Leaves no peltate; bracts filiform ........................................................................................ Cissampelos andromorpha
84. Stems not releasing latex when cut............................................................................................................................. 85
84. Stems releasing white or colourless latex when cut ................................................................................................... 86
85. Sepals persistent, unequal, internal 2 bigger than the external 3, surrounding the fruit (Fig. 4H); seeds with a white aril ............................................................................................................................................................ Davila aspera
85. Sepals persistent, equal in size, not surrounding the fruit; seeds without a white aril ............................................... 87
86. Fruits solitary ................................................................................................................................. Operculina altissima
86. Fruits grouped in infrutescences ................................................................................................................................. 88
87. Fruits born in terminal racemes ...................................................................................................... Tetracera breyniana
87. Fruits born in axillary or cauliflorous glomerules ....................................................................... Doliocarpus dentatus
88. Leaves pinatifid ................................................................................................................................ Ipomoea quamoclit
88. Leaves entire to 5-lobed.............................................................................................................................................. 89
89. Leaves sagitate; inner surface of sepals with liguliform appendix ................................................... Ipomoea bahiensis
89. Leaves never sagitated; inner surface of sepals without appendix ............................................................................. 90
90. Leaves 3–5-lobed; sepals ............................................................................................................... Ipomoea hederifolia
90. Leaves entire; sepals not corniculate .......................................................................................................................... 91
91. Leaves and sepals glabrous......................................................................................................................................... 92
91. Leaves and sepals hairy .............................................................................................................................................. 93
92. Fruits irregulary dehiscent; seeds triangular ................................................................................... Merremia umbelata
92. Fruits regulary dehiscent; seeds with two surfaces flat, one convex .................................................. Ipomoea obscura
93. Fruits 4-valved, each valve dividing into two ................................................................ Jacquemontia menispermoides
93. Fruits 4-valved, valves not subdividing upon opening............................................................................................... 94
94. Leaves elliptic; hairs golden .......................................................................................................... Bonamia maripoides
94. Leaves cordate; hairs white .................................................................................................................... Ipomoea martii