Mendoncia spp.

Notes: According to the Flora of the Guianas treatment for the family (often treated under Acanthaceae or split into Mendonciaceae), there are 6 recognized species of the twining liana genus Mendoncia present across Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. When distinguishing Mendoncia species in Guianan forest plots, look past the general “twiner” habit and focus heavily on the indumentum (the type, density, and color of hairs on the stems and leaf undersides) and the exact shape and texture of the two large spathelike bracteoles that cradle the corolla tube. These features serve as the primary keys for differentiating these 6 species in the field.