Region: Panama, Columbia.
Habitat: occasional; in the forest. along the shore.
BotanyTwining liana, sparsely hispidulous.
Stem: corky and deeply fissured near ground; 5 cm diameter.
Leaves: simple; alternate; lanceolate; 10 to 15 cm long; margins entire and a smooth, shiney surface; petiole is 2 to 2.5 cm, twisted and grooved; petioles 8-22 mm long; blades oblong-spatulate, acute to obtuse at apex, deeply cordate at base; glabrate above, inconspicuously short-pubescent below.
Flowers: solitary; axillary; usually slightly arched; dark purple-brown; calyx expanded into a narrow ellipsoid balloon ca 6 cm long, then constricted into a tube ca 3.5 cm long, the tube split on one side to form an oblong-lanceolate limb to 7 cm long; corolla lacking; stamens 6, the anthers sessile and adnate to style; styles 6, connate; stigmas capitate; blooming from November to January.
Fruit: capsules ovate-cylindrical; prominently 6-ribbed; green, divided into 6 parts when immature; opens and takes on the form of a basket when mature, on a long stipe, dehiscing from apex to base, the 6 valves spreading widely; 6 to 8 cm long and 4.5 cm in diameter.
Seeds: 11 mm; dark spot in the center in the shape of a heart.