Araujia sericifera

Araujia sericifera
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Genus: Araujia
Species: A. sericifera
Binomial name
Araujia sericifera
Brot.
Synonyms[1]
  • Araujia albens (Mart.) G.Don 1837.
  • Araujia calycina Decne. 1844.
  • Araujia grandiflora (Mart.) Morong Ann. 1893.
  • Araujia hortorum E.Fourn. 1885.
  • Araujia sericifera f. calycina (Decne.) Malme 1909.
  • Araujia sericifera f. hortorum (E.Fourn.) Malme 1909.
  • Araujia sericifera var. hortorum (E.Fourn.) Malme 1900.
  • Physianthus albens Mart. 1824.

Araujia sericifera is a perennial ornamental plant in the genus Araujia belonging to Apocynaceae family. This plant was described in 1817 by the Portuguese botanist Félix Avelar Brotero. Its common names include Moth Plant, White Bladderflower, Common Moth Vine and Cruel Vine.

Etymology

The genus name (Araujia) derives from António de Araújo e Azevedo, 1st Count of Barca (1754–1817), a Portuguese amateur botanist who conducted scientific studies and experiments in his own botanical garden. The Latin name sericifera of the species, meaning silk-bearing, refers to the silky hairs surrounding the seeds inside the fruits. Alternate spelling: Araujia sericofera.[2]

Description

Close-up on a flower of Araujia sericea, lateral view
Closeup of flowers.

Araujia sericifera is a creeping vine that can climb up to 5–7 metres (16–23 ft) of height. If broken this plant releases a milky smelly exudate. Leaves are opposite, dark green, glossy and quite fleshy, almost triangular, with entire margins, about 10–12 centimetres (3.9–4.7 in) long.

The twining stems bear plenty of fragrant, chalice-shaped bisexual flowers, of about 2 centimetres (0.79 in) of diameter,with five white, creamish, violet or pale pink petals. The flowers are usually pollinated by moths (hence the common name of the plant), butterflies and bees (entomophily), but they are capable of automatic self-pollination. The flowering period extends from July through September. The pear-shaped fruits are large pods of about 8–10 centimetres (3.1–3.9 in) of length. They contain numerous black seeds surrounded by silky hairs which enable them to be dispersed by the wind.

The fast-growing vines can cover a tree canopy in two or three years, competing with the tree for light, water, and nutrients. They damage trees by this competition and by twining so tightly around their branches that it girdles them.[3]

Distribution

This plant native to South America was introduced in Europe and in many other countries as an ornamental plant, but it is now considered a noxious weed. Nowadays its geographical distribution includes southern Europe, South Africa, North America (California, Georgia), South America (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay), Australia and New Zealand.[4]

Habitat

These plants grow in wastelands with trees and hedges, in forests and in rocky places or cliffs. They prefer sunny or partially shady places, at an altitude of 0–1,800 metres (0–5,906 ft) above sea level.

Butterflies

The plant can be used as an alternative food source for caterpillars of the Monarch butterfly.[5][6] Although monarch caterpillars are not known to occur naturally on the plant they will readily feed on leaves when supplies of Asclepias physocarpa have run out.[7]

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ wikispecies
  2. ↑ The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants Of California. University of California Press. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  3. ↑ CDFA EncycloWeedia.
  4. ↑ Araujia sericifera - moth plant, Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture. Copied from Ian Popay, Paul Champion & Trevor James, An Illustrated Guide to Common Weeds of New Zealand. ISBN 0-473-09760-5.
  5. ↑ "Alternative Monarch foodplants". nzButterfly.info. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Monarch butterflies". Sciencelearn Hub. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Food-Plants of ‘Monarch’ Butterfly Larvae". NZETC. Retrieved February 8, 2013.

External links

Wikispecies has information related to: Araujia sericifera
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