This scrambling plant was growing along the roadside in southern Yucatan blooming in February well away from any cultivated area. I haven't been able to find any clue as to what it might be. Does it look familiar to anyone?
I've had a look through Mexican Roadside Flora and came away with nada. Douglas Justice had the suggestion that it might be something in the Acanthaceae, but our print resources for Mexican plants are fairly poor here at UBC so I've not been able to get too far with that suggestion.
Another possibility we've considered is something in the Ericaceae, like the genus Cavendishia. Here's a search for images of Cavendishia bracteata, which this isn't, but can be used to compare especially re: leaf venation.
I found the name. It is Bauhinia jenningsii and is native to e. Mexico, Belize, etc. After reading your suggestions, I was looking through "Tropical Flowering Plants" hoping to find a similiar flower when I came across it. I didn't think it looked like an ericad (?) but it looks even less like something in the bean family. Thanks for the helpful nudge.
That's great you figured it out. David Tarrant's first reaction was that it was some sort of legume, but we moved away from that. I did look at Bauhinia species when trying to figure it out, but didn't come across Bauhinia jenningsii. Thanks for the challenge - I enjoy learning about things that trip me up.
Does look Fabaceous, now that you mention it. (I think I may have seen it before, too, but couldn't have named it). Better give Tarrant a job--oh, wait, he already works there.
