Celastrus orbiculatus

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Distribution Map: Based on vouchered plant specimens only. View county names by placing the mouse cursor over a particular county.

Species Distribution Map
Family:CELASTRACEAE
Species:Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb.
Common Name:Asian Bittersweet; Oriental Bittersweet
Habitat:**
Associated Ecological Communities:**
Growth Habit:Vine
Duration:Perennial
Category:Vascular
USDA Symbol:**
Plant Notes:Oriental Bittersweet is an introduced deciduous woody vine in the Bittersweet family (Celastraceae). It is native to eastern Asia. It Alabama, it has been documented from the central portion of the state. Oriental Bittersweet grows in disturbed woodlands, around old home sites, on fence rows, in vacant lots, and along woodland edges. It is a woody vine up to 100 feet in length with smooth dark gray bark. Older bark is shallowly furrowed or pitted. The vines climb by twining. Leaves are alternate, petiolate, obovate to orbicular in outline, with toothed margins. The leaves turn yellowish before falling in the autumn. Flowers are produced in axillary cymes. The flowers are small, green in color, with 5 sepals and 5 petals. Flowers may be staminate (male), pistillate (female), or bisexual. The fruit is a capsule. The capsule becomes yellowish in color before splitting in 3 sections to expose the seed. The seed are completely enclosed in a red aril. All parts of the plant are toxic if eaten. Oriental Bittersweet was introduced into the United States in 1860’s as an ornamental landscape plant primarily for its attractive fruit which persist on the plant throughout the winter months. It is sometimes used in flower arrangements. Oriental Bittersweet is an aggressive invader and out competes native vegetation. It forms a mutualistic relationship with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, aiding in the uptake of nutrients and speeding the plants growth. It is listed as a Category 2 Invasive Species by the Alabama Invasive Species Council. Oriental Bittersweet is similar to our native American Bittersweet (Celastrus scandens Linnaeus). American Bittersweet has flowers and fruit in terminal panicles, fruit that turn orange, and leaves that are oblong in outline. The two species form fertile hybrids.--A. Diamond
Taxonomic Notes:**
Status:Not Native
References:**
Specimen: View specimen details in the Alabama Herbarium Consortium Specimen Database

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

FamilyCELASTRACEAE - Bittersweet family
Genus Celastrus
Species Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb. - Asian Bittersweet; Oriental Bittersweet

Citation

Citation Celastrus orbiculatus Thunberg, Syst. Veg., ed. 14. 237. 1784.
Basionym: **
Type: **

** Not applicable or data not available.

Synonyms

No synonyms exist for this species.

Specimens and Distribution

This species has been reported in the following counties by the herbaria listed. An overview of the individual specimens are provided in the table that follows. Click on the accession number to view details; click on column headers to sort; choose a county or herbaria to filter the specimen data.

Counties included on distribution map: Autauga, Chambers, Dallas, Jefferson, Lee, Pike

Counties represented by specimen data listed below:

Herbaria represented by specimen data listed below: ALNHS, AMAL, AUA, SAMF, TROY, UNA, UWAL

Range of years during which specimens were collected: -

Barcode / Accession No. County Coll. Date Collector &
Collection No.		 Herbarium &
Herbarium Name Used		 Image
AMAL00009445 Pike 29 Nov 2005 Diamond, Alvin R.
16073		 AMAL
Celastrus orbiculatus Thunberg
AUA_ACC_20456 Lee 21 May 1970 Williams, S.A.
169A		 AUA
Celastrus Orbiculatus Thunb.
AUA_ACC_72470 Chambers 14 Aug 2013 Barger, T. Wayne
SP1192		 AUA
Celastrus Orbiculatus Thunb. Ssp. Fraterniflora
TROY000003717 Pike 29 Nov 2005 Diamond, Alvin R.
16073		 TROY
Celastrus orbiculatus Thunberg
TROY000047390 Autauga 03 Nov 2016 Parker, Matthew R.
238		 TROY
Celastrus orbiculatus Thunberg
AMAL00009467 Chambers 14 Aug 2013 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#1192		 AMAL
Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb.
SAMF0002383 Jefferson 10 May 2005 Davenport, Lawrence J.
3174		 SAMF
Celastrus orbiculatus Thunberg
AUA_ACC_65957 Pike 29 Nov 2005 Diamond, Alvin R.
16073		 AUA
Celastrus Orbiculatus Thunb.
UWAL0046147 Autauga 03 Nov 2016 Parker, Matthew R.
238		 UWAL
Celastrus orbiculatus Thunberg
UNA00067292 Autauga 04 Nov 2006 Schotz, Alfred
2047		 UNA
Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb.
ALNHS00004812 Dallas 16 Sep 2016 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#2821		 ALNHS
Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb.
AUA_ACC_46660 Lee 9 May 1983 Mclendon, Dean B.
106		 AUA
Celastrus Orbiculatus Thunb.
UNA00073465 Chambers 14 Aug 2013 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#1192		 UNA
Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb.
AUA_ACC_66885 Autauga 4 Nov 2006 Schotz, Alfred
2047		 AUA
Celastrus Orbiculatus Thunb.
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