Antigonon leptopus Hook. & Arn.

국표에 없다.

Description

A long-lived (perennial) vine with stems often climbing up over other vegetation 6-10 m tall, occasionally reaching 15 m in height. It produces underground tubers and loses its leaves (it is deciduous) during the dry season in areas seasonal rains.

The slender stems climb up or sprawl over other vegetation by means of tendrils that are borne in the leaf forks (axils). They are branched, angular in cross-section, and either hairless (glabrous) or sparsely to densely covered in brownish or reddish hairs (pubescent). Older stems may sometimes become brown and woody towards the base of the plant, while younger stems are reddish-brown or green in colour.

The alternately arranged leaves are simple and borne on stalks (petioles) 1-5 cm long. These stalks are sometimes slightly winged and have a very small membranous structure (ochrea) 0.2-2 mm long at their base. The leaf blades (2.5-15 cm long and 2-10 cm wide) are either egg-shaped in outline with broad end at base (ovate), heart-shaped (cordate) or somewhat triangular in shape. The lower ones are usually larger and broader, while the upper ones are smaller and narrower. These leaves may have either entire, wavy (undulate) or bluntly toothed (crenate) margins and the tips are usually pointed (acute to acuminate apices). They may be hairless (glabrous) or somewhat hairy (pubescent), especially along their veins on their undersides. The leaves are light to dark green in colour, have a strongly wrinkled (rugose) appearance, and are lined with a network of veins (they are reticulately veined).

The flowers are borne in unbranched, or more commonly branched, clusters at the tips of the branches (in terminal racemes or panicles). These flower clusters (4-20 cm long) have hairy stalks (puberulent to pilose peduncles) and the flowers are arranged into small groups along the branches (with 1 to 4 flowers in each group). The tips of the flower clusters usually end in a short tendril. Individual flowers are borne on smaller stalks (pedicels) 3-10 mm long and each flower has five 'petals' (sepals or perianth segments) that are usually bright pink in colour, but may occasionally be white or reddish. These 'petals' (4-10 mm long and 2-6 mm wide) have entire margins and pointed tips (acute apices). They also have eight stamens and an ovary topped with three styles and stigmas. Flowering may occur throughout the year.

The small brown fruit (achenes) are cone-shaped or three-angled (8-12 mm long and 4-7 mm wide) and shiny in appearance. These fruit usually remain hidden within the enlarged and persistent remains of the 'petals' (8-20 long and 4-15 mm wide), which turn dull pink and then eventually brown as they age.

Factsheet - Antigonon leptopus (Coral Creeper) (lucidcentral.org)