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Family:

Celastraceae (Magnoliophyta)

Accepted Name:

This name is currently accepted.

Common Names:

oriental bittersweet, tsuru-ume-mo-doki, oriental bittersweet, Asian bittersweet, Asiatic bittersweet

Description:

Author: Scott A. Mori

Description: Roots yellow. Woody vine. Simple, alternate leaves, the petiole ca. 1.2 cm long, the leaf blade margins serrate. Flowers 6 mm diam., 5-merous, green, except for white filaments and anthers; sepals narrowly triangular; petals oblong; style split into 3 stigmatic lobes. Fruits capsules, the pericarp thin, splits into 3 lobes. Seeds white, surrounded by red aril.

Common name: Oriental bittersweet.

Etymology: Refers to the shape of the leaf.

Distribution: Mid-Atlantic part of the eastern United States (Sarver et al., 2008)..

Origin: China, Korea and Japan. Introduced as an ornamental in 1860 (Sarver et al., 2008).

Phenology: Flowers May to early June, fruits in later summer early fall.

Similar species: Similar to native Celastrus scandens but differs from that species by 1) its broader leaves, 2) inflorescences in axils of leaves instead of in clusters at the end of the branches, and 3) yellow instead of red or orange capules (Sarver et al., 2008).

Ecology: Up until now, this species is rarely encountered in open places of the Westchester Wilderness Walk Preserve, especially at margins of the forest.

Control: Pull out youg stems any time this species is encountered.

Flora and Monograph Treatment(s):

Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb.: [Book] Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.