Boquila is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lardizabalaceae, endemic to temperate forests of central and southern Chile and Argentina. It is monotypic, being represented by the single species Boquila trifoliolata, locally known as voqui blanco or pilpil in its native range,[2] and sometimes referred as the chameleon vine since a recent report on leaf mimicry. The species was first described in 1782 by Juan Ignacio Molina, and the genus itself was established in 1839 by Joseph Decaisne. B. trifoliata forms non-parasitic vines that wind around host plants, using them for structure and protection. B. trifoliata is monoecious, and its flowers are an off white color. It bears an edible fruit and has been historically used in rope and basket making.
B. trifoliata is the only known plant species reported to engage in mimetic polymorphism, or the ability to mimic multiple host species, often simultaneously. This is a form of Batesian mimicry, when a harmless species mimics a harmful one to ward off predators. Contact between the vines and host trees was reported not to be necessary for mimicking to commence. However, after a decade of the original study describing the species mimicry capabilities in 2014, no independent research groups have verified the field observations and the mechanism by which this mimicry would occur is still unknown. Hypotheses about the mimicry mechanism include microbial mediated horizontal gene transfer, volatile organic compound sensing, and the use of eye-like structures.
Boquila is a monotypic genus of flowering plants (angiosperms) in the family Lardizabalaceae with one known species, Boquila trifoliolata.[3][4] The species was first described as Dolichos funarius in 1782 by Juan Ignacio Molina, and in 1817, the holotype Lardizabala trifoliolata was named by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle.[5][6] In 1838, Stephan Endlicher, Eduard Friedrich Poeppig, and Gustav Kunze proposed the name Lardizabala discolor. In between 1837 to 1839, Joseph Decaisne identified Boquila trifoliolata and Boquila discolor, and established the Boquila genus in 1837.[7] The name Boquila discolor was later declared a orthographic variant. In 1936, Gualterio Looser attempted to reclassify the species to Lardizabala funaria based upon the observations of Carlo Giuseppe Bertero, but this classification is not considered valid.[8][9]
Due to its mimicry capabilities, Boquila trifoliolata is sometimes referred to as the chameleon vine.[10][11][12]
Boquila trifoliolata is a woody vine with a highly variable appearance due to its crypsis abilities.[4] The vines are evergreen or partly deciduous, meaning they largely retain their leaves over winter.[13] The vines follow a twining pattern when climbing host plants, meaning the stems bend around host plants during their ascent.[14] The branches are thin, less than 1 cm (0.39 in) in diameter, and are covered in red-brown bark. The lenticels are elliptical in shape, and the wider branches are a speckled grey color.[13] When not mimicking a host plant, B. trifoliata employs smaller 'charlatan leaves' that are short, stubby, and have three lobes (trifoliate).[4] The petioles range from 2 cm (0.79 in) to 6 cm (2.4 in) in length and the petiolules range from 0.5 cm (0.20 in) to 1.5 cm (0.59 in) in length. Leaflets are oval or elliptical and range from 2 cm (0.79 in) to 6 cm (2.4 in) in height and 1 cm (0.39 in) to 3 cm (1.2 in) in width. The base of the leaves is rounded, the margins are irregular (most often trilobate), the tips are rounded and wide-angled, the top of the leaves are dark green and hairless, the undersides are glaucous (pale-grey to blue-green), and the veins have a pinnate pattern.[15][13]