L., Sp. Pl. 533.1753

Chumico, Pasmo de sol

Androdioecious liana; bark on older stems thin and flaky; mostparts with both stellate and simple trichomes. Peti­oles 5-20mm long, winged to base; blades obovate to ± elliptic, roundedand abruptly acuminate to obtuse at apex, obtuse to attenuate atbase, decurrent on petiole, 6-20 cm long, 3-9.5 cm wide, entire toserrate, the simple trichomes sparse except on veins of lower leafsurface, the pubescence of upper surface often deciduous except forpustular bases; lateral veins in 10-15 (20) pairs. Flowersunisexual, 5-10 mm wide, pedicellate, rarely subsessile; sepals 5,densely pubescent inside; petals 3-5, obovate, to 5 mm long, white;stamens very numerous, about equaling petals, reduced in pistillateflowers; carpels 4 or 5, pyriform, usually pubescent with stiffwhite tri­chomes near apex, reduced in staminate flowers;styles 1 per carpel, ca 1.5 mm long. Follicles 4 or 5, glabrous toapically barbed, brown at maturity, 6-8 mm long, dehisc­ingalong inner side; aril red (pale yellow on drying), at firstenclosing seed; seeds 1-4, shiny, 3-4 mm long. Croat 6569,6802.

Frequent along the shore and within the forest, some­timesat the top of the canopy. Flowers usually from August to November,especially in September and Octo­ber, rarely as early as June.The fruits mature chiefly from January to March.

Mexico to Colombia, Venezuela, Amazonian Brazil, and Peru; Cubaand Jamaica. In Panama, known prin­cipally from tropical moistforest in the Canal Zone, Panama, and Darien, but also fromtropical dry forest in Coclé and from premontane moist forestin Panama.