More than 2200 species of the wild flora and fauna photographed in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico and the surrounding area.
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Mints, Plantains, Olives, and Allies of Zihuatanejo
ORDER LAMIALES
Monkey Comb
Amphilophium crucigerum
Flowers by Colour
-Vascular Plants (Phylum Tracheophyta)
-Flowering Plants (Subphylum Angiospermae)
-Mints, Plantains, Olives, and Allies (Order Lamiales)
-Bignonia Family (Family Bignoniaceae)
-Tribe Bignonieae
-Trumpet Vines (Genus Amphilophium)
-Monkey's Comb (Amphilophium crucigerum)
Monkey’s Comb (Amphilophium crucigerum), also known as Liana de Macaco, is a fast-growing vine belonging to the Bignoniaceae family. It is recognized for its distinctive seed pods that resemble a monkey’s comb, as well as its vibrant trumpet-shaped flowers. Pods split open when mature, releasing flat, winged seeds that disperse by wind.
Description
• Amphilophium crucigerum, commonly known as cross-vine, is a woody climbing vine in the trumpet-creeper family (Bignoniaceae). It climbs using tendrils with small, branched or claw-like tips that help it grip supporting vegetation. Its leaves are opposite and compound, usually with two leaflets and a branched tendril between them. The tubular, trumpet-shaped flowers are typically yellowish to orange, and the fruit develops into an elongated, woody capsule containing winged seeds.
Range
• Amphilophium crucigerum is native to tropical America, ranging from Mexico and Central America into parts of South America and the Caribbean. It is native to Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, and the surrounding area.
Habitat
• This vine grows in tropical dry and moist forests, woodland edges, thickets, and secondary vegetation. It climbs over shrubs and trees to reach sunlight and is often found in warm areas with seasonal rainfall.