Celastrus

Staff vine
Celastrus scandens
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Celastrales
Family: Celastraceae
Subfamily: Celastroideae
Genus: Celastrus
Species

See text

Celastrus, commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is a genus in the Celastraceae family which comprises about 30-40 species of shrubs and vines. They have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Americas.

Celastrus orbiculatus

The leaves are alternate and simple, ovoid, and typically 5–20 cm (2.0–7.9 in) long. The flowers are small, white, pink or greenish, and borne in long panicles; the fruit is a three-valved berry.

In North America, they are known as bittersweet, presumably a result of confusion with the unrelated bittersweet (Solanum dulcamara) by early colonists. C. orbiculatus is a serious invasive weed in much of eastern North America.

Selected species

  • Celastrus angulatus Maxim. - Chinese staff vine
  • Celastrus australis - Australian staff vine
  • Celastrus dispermus - orange boxwood
  • Celastrus flagellaris Rupr.
  • Celastrus gemmatus Loes.
  • Celastrus hindsii Benth.
  • Celastrus monospermus Roxb.
  • Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb. - Oriental bittersweet
  • Celastrus paniculatus Willd. - peng
  • Celastrus pyracanthus - South African staff vine
  • Celastrus rosthornianus Loes.
  • Celastrus scandens L. - American bittersweet
  • Celastrus stylosus Wall.
  • Celastrus vaniotii (H.Lév.) Rehder[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Celastrus L." Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2007-10-05. Archived from the original on 2009-05-06. Retrieved 2009-04-16.
  2. ↑ "Species Records of Celastrus". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. Archived from the original on 2009-05-06. Retrieved 2009-04-16.


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