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Glossary

Gymnosperms      Parallel-veined plants       Trees and Shrubs

Woody Vines

Woody vines have stems that are more or less woody, at least at the base. They trail along the ground or sprawl, clamber, twine on, or otherwise use other objects, including other plants, for support.

1. Leaves opposite…2

1. Leaves alternate…5

2. Leaves simple…3

2. Leaves compound…4

3. Adventitious roots many; most stems held tight against trunk of trees; bark of older vines dark brown, shreddy; leaves serrate to serrulate or crenulate near the apex; CP only…Decumaria barbara (climbing hydrangea)

3. Adventitious roots lacking; many stems not all held tight against trunks of trees; bark of older vines tannish beige, shreddy; leaves entire; CP & P…Gelsemium sempervirens (yellow jessamine)

4. Leaves palmately compound, each leaf of 2 foliaceous leaflets and one tendril, leaflet margins entire; CP & P…Bignonia capreolata (crossvine)

4. Leaves pinnately compound, each leaf of > 6 foliaceous leaflets, leaflet margins coarsely serrate to dentate; CP & P…Campsis radicans (trumpet creeper)

5. Leaves compound…6

5. Leaves simple…8

6. Vine climbing with adventitious root; leaves trifoliolate; tendrils lacking; CP & P …Toxicodendron radicans (poison ivy)

6. Vines climbing with adventitious roots or not; leaves with >3 leaflets; tendrils borne opposite the leaves…7         

7. Leaves palmately compound; bark of older vines (3+ in. diam.) brownish, with interlacing ridges; tendrils disk-tipped; CP & P …Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper)

7. Leaves twice-thrice pinnately compound; bark of older vines (1.5+ in. diam.) tannish, essentially smooth except for conspicuous, horizontal lenticels; tendrils not disk-tipped; CP only; …Ampelopsis arborea (sweet pepper-vine)  

8. Stem reddish-brown, extremely flexible, lacking prickles; secondary venation pinnate, the veins straight and parallel, tertiary venation essentially horizontal; CP only…Berchemia scandens (supplejack/rattan vine)

8. Stem green, moderately flexible at most, with prickles; secondary venation essentially arcuate or leaves 3-7 veined from the base…9

9. Leaves distinctly glaucous underneath…Smilax glauca (cat greenbrier)

9. Leaves not glaucous underneath…10

10. Leaf margins bristly…Smilax bona-nox (saw greenbrier)  

10. Leaf margins not bristly…11

11. Leaves distinctly fleshly-leathery; lateral veins not evident (raised) on lower surface except maybe near base; primarily CP …Smilax laurifolia (laurel-leaf greenbrier/bamboo vine)

11. Leaves not distinctly fleshy-leathery; lateral veins evident (raised)  on lower surface…12

12. Mature berries bright red; usually in habitats with prolonged hydroperiods; CP only …Smilax walteri (coral greenbrier)

12. Mature berries black; usually in well-drained or seasonally wet habitats but sometimes in seasonally wet habitats; CP & P…Smilax rotundifolia (common greenbrier)