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Useful Tropical Plants

Vitis tiliifolia

Humb. & Bonpl. ex Schult.

Vitaceae

+ Synonyms

Vitis acuminata Oerst.

Vitis arachnoidea Oerst.

Vitis caribaea DC.

Common Name:

Vitis tiliifolia
Ripening fruits
Photograph by: Indiana Coronado
Creative Commons License
Vitis tiliifolia Vitis tiliifolia Vitis tiliifolia Vitis tiliifolia Vitis tiliifolia

General Information

Vitis tiliifolia is a small to very large climbing shrub with thick, woody stems that can be 10 - 35 metres long and up to 20cm in diameter[
331
Title
Flora of Guatemala
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
 
Year
1946 - 1976
ISBN
 
Description
A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
,
369
Title
Flora of Costa Rica
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C.
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago
Year
1938
ISBN
 
Description
Rather dated, but an excellent treatment of the area. Available for download from the internet.
,
648
Title
Contributions from the United States National Herbarium. Vol. 51
Publication
 
Author
Acevedo-Rodríguez P. (Editor)
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution; Washington.
Year
2005
ISBN
 
Description
A treatment of the climbing plants of Puerto Rico. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The plant climbs into the trees and shrubs in the forest, supporting itself by means of coiled tendrils.
Best known for the watery sap that can be obtained from the stems, the plant also yields a sour fruit, has local medicinal uses and can be used as cordage.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

331
Title
Flora of Guatemala
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
 
Year
1946 - 1976
ISBN
 
Description
A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
,
369
Title
Flora of Costa Rica
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C.
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago
Year
1938
ISBN
 
Description
Rather dated, but an excellent treatment of the area. Available for download from the internet.
,
648
Title
Contributions from the United States National Herbarium. Vol. 51
Publication
 
Author
Acevedo-Rodríguez P. (Editor)
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution; Washington.
Year
2005
ISBN
 
Description
A treatment of the climbing plants of Puerto Rico. It can be downloaded from the Internet.

Range

Northern S. America - Ecuador, Colombia; Central America - Panama through to Mexico; Caribbean - Cuba and Jamaica to the Virgin Islands.

Habitat

Common in wet to dry forest or thickets, often in pine-oak forest, most plentiful at lower elevations but also extending to 1,700 metres[
331
Title
Flora of Guatemala
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
 
Year
1946 - 1976
ISBN
 
Description
A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitClimber
Height20.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. Usually very sour[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
331
Title
Flora of Guatemala
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
 
Year
1946 - 1976
ISBN
 
Description
A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
]. The fruit, even when fully ripe, is too acid to be palatable, but it is utilized sometimes for making vinegar.[
331
Title
Flora of Guatemala
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
 
Year
1946 - 1976
ISBN
 
Description
A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
,
369
Title
Flora of Costa Rica
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C.
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago
Year
1938
ISBN
 
Description
Rather dated, but an excellent treatment of the area. Available for download from the internet.
]. The purple-black fruit is about 6 - 8mm. In diameter[
331
Title
Flora of Guatemala
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
 
Year
1946 - 1976
ISBN
 
Description
A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
].

Considerable quantities of watery sap can be obtained from sections of the stem. This can be drunk in place of water, a fact of which advantage is often taken in regions where surface water is lacking[
331
Title
Flora of Guatemala
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
 
Year
1946 - 1976
ISBN
 
Description
A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
]. A slightly astringent flavour, it runs from sections of the stem when these are separated and handled with the proper dexterity. A piece of stem one metre long will fill an ordinary glass, and the frequent distribution of this plant in the forests has saved the life of more than one woodsman who had lost his way and was dying from thirst[
369
Title
Flora of Costa Rica
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C.
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago
Year
1938
ISBN
 
Description
Rather dated, but an excellent treatment of the area. Available for download from the internet.
].

Medicinal

The plant has a long history of medicinal use in Mexico, where it is valued particularly in the treatment of kidney, skin and eye problems[
1565
Title
Biblioteca Digital de la Medicina Tradicional Mexicana
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.medicinatradicionalmexicana.unam.mx/index.php
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A very valuable on-line resource with detailed information on many hundreds of medicinal plants used in Mexico
].

In Puebla and Veracruz it is used to relieve diseases of the eyes, such as infections or irritation[
1565
Title
Biblioteca Digital de la Medicina Tradicional Mexicana
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.medicinatradicionalmexicana.unam.mx/index.php
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A very valuable on-line resource with detailed information on many hundreds of medicinal plants used in Mexico
]

A decoction of the root is administered orally as a treatment for kidney pain[
1565
Title
Biblioteca Digital de la Medicina Tradicional Mexicana
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.medicinatradicionalmexicana.unam.mx/index.php
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A very valuable on-line resource with detailed information on many hundreds of medicinal plants used in Mexico
]..

A decoction of the whole plant is rubbed into the affected area to treat the bacterial infection erysipelas[
1565
Title
Biblioteca Digital de la Medicina Tradicional Mexicana
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.medicinatradicionalmexicana.unam.mx/index.php
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A very valuable on-line resource with detailed information on many hundreds of medicinal plants used in Mexico
].

A deccoción of the leaves is applied topically as acompress to treat snake bites[
1565
Title
Biblioteca Digital de la Medicina Tradicional Mexicana
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.medicinatradicionalmexicana.unam.mx/index.php
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A very valuable on-line resource with detailed information on many hundreds of medicinal plants used in Mexico
].

The water obtained from the stem is reputed to be diuretic and efficacious as a remedy for venereal diseases[
369
Title
Flora of Costa Rica
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C.
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago
Year
1938
ISBN
 
Description
Rather dated, but an excellent treatment of the area. Available for download from the internet.
].

Other Uses

The tough stems are used for temporary cordage in gathering firewood and for other purposes[
331
Title
Flora of Guatemala
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
 
Year
1946 - 1976
ISBN
 
Description
A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-10. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Vitis+tiliifolia>

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