Heliconiaceae Vines

Milliken, W., Klitgard, B. and Baracat, A. (2009 onwards), Neotropikey - Interactive key and information resources for flowering plants of the Neotropics. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

Morphology General Habit

Large perennial herbs (up to 10m) with creeping, sympodial rhizomes and branches terminating in aerial shoots; renewal branches arising near base of aerial shoot; pseudostems formed by overlapping tubular leaf sheaths, distinct internodes sometimes present

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, distichous, entire (though sometimes torn due to wind damage), eligulate, with long open sheath simple, petiole often long, sometimes indistinct or lacking, midrib prominent, venation pinnate with parallel-arching lateral veins which fuse to form a margin

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence terminal, indeterminate, scapiflorous or not, erect or pendent, flattened thyrse with dense monochasial cymes (cincinni) each subtended by spirally or distichously arranged, large, brightly coloured, boat-shaped, stiff, laterally-flattened, often coriaceous, spatheous bracts

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers zygomorphic, bisexual, in two whorls of three, composed of 6 petaloid tepals, outer 5 connate, inner one +/- free, often reflexed and forming a lower lip, subtended by ridged bracteoles; fertile stamens 5, distinct, filaments basally adnate to perianth, outer 6th stamen staminodial, scale-like inserted at base of floral tube opposite free, median tepal, anthers basifixed; ovary inferior, syncarpous, carpels 3, 3-6 locular, style 1, filiform (thread-like), stigma 1, capitate (pin-like), ovule 1 per locule, septal nectaries present

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a drupe, blue, pericarp thin, endocarp thick and stony, outer layer fleshy, borne on a stout, elongated pedicel

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 3, grey, brown or black, hard, exarilate, with copious starchy and oily endosperm .

Note

Notes on delimitation: Previously included in the Musaceae but now widely accepted as a distinct monogeneric family of the commelinoid clade in the order Zingiberales (APG 2, 2003). Molecular and morphological evidence suggest that Heliconiaceae is monophyletic in a clade with the other 'bananas' i.e. Musaceae, Lowiaceae and Strelitziaceae (Kress et al. 2001). In the pantropical order Zingiberales alongside the gingers i.e. Cannaceae, Costaceae, Marantaceae and Zingiberaceae. Number of genera: One: Heliconia L. (225 species in total) a few species in Asia. Hummingbird pollinated. Staminode tightens the slit in the perigone tube so the plant can hold more nectar and withstand damage from visiting birds. Extensive, conspicuous stands or as individuals. Often pioneer species.

Distribution

Throughout the Neotropics. Shaded moist forests. Open disturbed habitats. Up to 2,000 m. Extensive, conspicuous stands or as individuals. Often pioneer species. Native.

Diagnostic

Key differences from similar families: One ovule per locule [vs. many in Musaceae and Strelitziaceae]. Bisexual flowers [vs. unisexual flowers in Musaceae]. 5 fertile stamens [vs. 1 fertile stamen in Marantaceae, Costaceae, Cannaceae and Zingiberaceae]. Distinguishing characters (always present): Rhizomatous, perennialherb. Leaves alternating and distichously arranged. Prominentmidrib from which parallel, faintly sigmoid, secondary veins arise and loop towards the margin to merge into a marginalvein. Terminalinflorescence, a flattened thyrse with dense monochasial cymes. Brightly coloured (red, orange, or yellow), spatheous bracts. Petaloid tepals in two whorls, one reflexed. Five fertile stamens plus one minute staminode. Inferior ovary. Seeds 3.