Hyperbaena laurifolia, commonly known as limestone snakevine, is a species of flowering plant in the family Menispermaceae. It is a perennial shrub, tree, or vine, with leathery leaves, greenish-yellow flowers, and roughtly spherical fruits. The species is native to Hispaniola, the Leeward Islands, and Puerto Rico.
Hyperbaena laurifolia was described in 1804, and is listed as of Least Concern by the IUCN.
Taxonomy Hyperbaena laurifolia was described by Jean Louis Marie Poiret in 1804, and placed in the genus Cissampelos. In 1899, Ignatz Urban transferred it to the genus Hyperbaena.
Distribution Hyperbaena laurifolia is native to the wet tropical biome of the Dominican Republic, Haiti, the Leeward Islands, and Puerto Rico. It grows at elevations of up to , in wooded limestone areas.
Its extent of occurrence is around .
Description Hyperbaena laurifolia is a perennial shrub, tree, or vine. It grows up to high as a climbing plant, and up to high as a tree. The trunk is up to wide. The branches are cylindrical and striped.
The leaves are leathery, narrowly ovate to obovate, long, and wide. The edges are smooth and undulating. The leaf stems are long.
The male inflorescences are usually clustered panicles, which grow on long stems. The flowers grow on long stems. The flowers are greenish-yellow, and have six sepals. The outer sepals are narrowly obovate to obovate-oblong, around long, and around wide. The inner sepals are broadly obovate to orbicular, around long, and around wide. The male flowers have six petals, which are obovate, around long, and around wide. The male flowers have six stamens.
The female inflorescences are usually clustered racemes, which grow on long stems. The flowers grow on long stems. The flowers are greenish-yellow, and have six sepals. The outer sepals are ovate-oblong, around long, and around wide. The inner sepals are ovate, around long, and around wide. The female flowers have six petals, which are obovate, around long, and around wide. The female flowers have three carpels.
The fruits are roughly spherical, long, and broad.
Conservation In 2023, the IUCN assessed Hyperbaena laurifolia as of Least Concern. The population is assumed to be stable. The species is present in several protected areas, including the Virgin Islands National Park.
Hyperbaena laurifolia may be threatened by habitat loss.
Nomenclature Hyperbaena laurifolia is commonly known as "limestone snakevine".
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