PLANTS OF DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA 
13 
name of Erythrina arborea, but I do not 
know that it grows in Dade County, 
though it probably does. 
NATIVE ORNAMENTAL CLIMBERS AND 
CREEPERS. 
The well-known woodbine (Parthen- 
ocissus quinquefolia, formerly called 
Ampelopsis quinquefolia) is one of the 
few plants common to the Northern 
States and extreme Southern Florida. 
It springs up in cleared pine land and 
often almost becomes a nuisance. It 
climbs to the tops of the loftiest pines, 
and along in January or February its 
foliage takes on the rich crimson color 
that it has after frost in the Northern 
States. 
Chiococca racemosa is a sprawler in 
the hammock and bears racemes of 
lemon yellow, honey-scented flowers 
which somewhat resemble those of the 
Lily of the Valley. Later it becomes 
covered with white, waxy berries which 
remain on all winter. 
Several native Ipomoeas bear hand¬ 
some flowers, the most conspicuous be¬ 
ing Calonyction bona-nox, the magnifi¬ 
cent night bloomer, cultivated in the 
North under the name of moon flower. 
It grows along the borders of hammocks, 
creeping over the ground and bushes or 
even to the tops of lofty trees. A va¬ 
riety here bears flowers which remain in 
bloom until late in the forenoon, or 
nearly all day if it is cloudy. There is 
another closely allied form growing on 
the Lower Keys, with thicker, more suc¬ 
culent leaves and stems, which may be a 
variety of the above. 
Ipomoea pes-caprae (Goat’s foot) has 
astonishingly long, vigorous stems which 
trail along sandy shores, bearing large, 
glossy, handsome leaves that are cleft at 
the apex, hence the specific name. The 
large purple flowers are very fine. If in¬ 
troduced into ordinary pine land it 
makes itself as much at home as along 
the seashore. 
Ipomoea dissecta has delicately-cut 
leaves and handsome, whitish flowers 
having a purple eye, and is quite com¬ 
monly used here to cover piazzas and 
arbors. 
Another species, Ipomoea fuchsioides, 
comes from the Homestead Country of 
Lower Dade, where it grows in crevices 
among the most ragged limestone rocks. 
It has elongated leaves which are 
rounded at the base and quantities of 
brilliant purplish-crimson flowers. These 
are about an inch or a little more in di¬ 
ameter, their buds looking as though var¬ 
nished, and are indescribably beautiful. 
It does not seem to flourish when 
planted out in this vicinity. Perhaps the 
abundance of soil, even if it is poor, 
proves too stimulating for it. 
Another plant belonging to the Con¬ 
volvulus family, Jacquemontia pentan- 
tha, from the Lower Keys, is very fine. 
It has glossy, cordate leaves and rather 
small, funnel-shaped, blue flowers hav¬ 
ing a white eye. It does not last very 
long in cultivation, being probably an im¬ 
perfect perennial, but like the companion 
vine, Ipomoea fuschioides, it is worthy 
of a good deal of care. 
Along the seashore in the edge of 
hammocks there grows a rampant, 
prickly vine with bipinnate leaves, yel¬ 
lowish flowers and short, inflated pods 
covered with thorns, each containing two 
or three rounded, gray seeds, the nicker 
beans. It is Guilandina crista, and does 
well when planted in a sheltered location. 
In the West Indies every black man 
who has a bit of ground plants a few 
seeds of Canavalia obtusifolia or C. 
gladiata. These are the “Overlook 
peas,” and it is absolutely necessary for 
one’s safety that he have one or the 
other of these vines growing on his place 
in order to prevent his garden being 
“overlooked” or bewitched by the Evil 
Eye. Both are pretty and interesting 
naturalized vines, with rather attractive 
purple, pea-like blossoms, the former be¬ 
ing more inclined to trail and the latter 
to climb. I am always careful to have 
my place well protected from anybody 
who may wish to “hoodoo” it. 
There are two balloon vines growing 
wild in waste places in this region (Car- 
diospermum halicacabum and C. Micro- 
carpum). Both are pretty, delicate 
vines with compound leaves and triangu¬ 
lar inflated seed pods. 
