Callingcard vine (Entada polystachya) in Chocón Machacas
Posted September 29, 2021
Throughout the Chocón Machacas River you can find Callingcard vine (Entada polystachya) or in Spanish “bejuco de agua”, “bejuco Prieto”. It is a plant that seems to be very spongy and can be observed in 3 colors: green, white and brown. The buttons are green and when they open they turn white and brown. Its fruits are legumes, that means, pods. It is a plant with a foul odor.
Ecology: Tall climbing shrub, no spines present. The flowers are grouped and very flowered clusters are seen, depending on their stage of development, it turns into different colors. The fruits are pods that are 5 to 6cm wide.
Distribution: Native to tropical America. It lives in a warm climate between 550 and 800 meters above sea level. It is associated with disturbed vegetation derived from mangroves, tropical deciduous forest, grassland, and thorn forest. This means that it is a very adaptable plant to different ecosystems.
Ethnobotany uses: The ground seeds of this species are used to apply topically, it is used to prevent hair loss; the soaked root to wash the hair; and stem water in eye infections. A slightly sweet, pale yellow resin is obtained from the tree and sometimes it is used as a dye.
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KINGDOM
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Plantae
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PHYLLO
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Spermatophyta
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CLASS
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Magnoliopsida
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ORDER
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Fabales
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FAMILY
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Fabaceae
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GENUS
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Entada
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SPECIES
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Entada polystachya
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Written by Vivian Hurtado & Roxana Leal
Identified Species by Victor Mendoza
References
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