Mika Scan Aste Final
Mika Scan Aste Final
Mika Scan Aste Final
) Willdenow
Common Names: Climbing Hempweed, Climbing
Hempvine, Climbing Boneset, Guaco (4)
Most Likely Confused with: Mikania micrantha or Mikania cordata are most likely impostor
candidates. Leaf shape is similar to Ipomoea spp. and climbers of the Convolvulaceae (8, 13).
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Known Elevational Distribution: Most common at low elevations on the shores of lakes and
marshes, however it is sometimes found further inland (13).
Complete Geographic Distribution: Found in most states east of the Mississippi River, as well
as Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and Northern Mexico and the Bahamas. It
is most common in the southern United States along the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.
This plant is a noxious weed in Hawaii and other Pacific Islands (1, 4, 8, 13).
Seed Description: Because the fruit is a plumed achene (a single-seeded fruit that does not
open), the seed is dispersed with the achene. No reports give features of seeds of this species.
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Dispersal Syndrome: Seeds are primarily wind-dispersed but can be moved unintentionally by
people or animals. Whether wind-dispersed or by animals, the pappus bristles are the main
mechanism (see image). They can act as a parachute or sail or can catch onto an animal via
the same feature or can be modified into a barb or awn. Vegetative reproduction is more
important than sexual reproduction in this species as broken stems can re-root and form new
plants. The nodes root when in contact with the soil (8, 12, 13, 18).
Distinguished by: "[T]he inflorescence is habitually looser and more paniculate in M. micrantha
than in M. scandens; the inflorescence in M. scandens is mostly crowded with round-topped
corymbs. The phyllaries (bracts) of the heads are acute in M. micrantha rather than attenuate as
in M. scandens. M. micrantha seems never to show the purplish coloration which is nearly
always present in M. scandens. Although the leaves vary greatly in contour both in M.
scandens and in M. micrantha, they tend on the whole to be more sharply angled and triangular-
sagittate or -hastate in M. scandens and more oval, cordate, and merely crenate in M.
micrantha" (8).
The deeply cordate leaves and acutely pointed tips of the leaves of Ipomoea pandurata and
Ipomoea purpurea, and other members of Convolvulaceae could be confused for M. scandens
as well, but this confusion is easily resolved. While M. scandens has its leaves arranged
oppositely, Convolvulaceae have alternate leaves; their leaves and stems also contain white
latex, while M. scandens does not. In flower, M. scandens has densely aggregated
inflorescences, characteristic of Asteraceae, while members of Convolvulaceae have a
determinate inflorescence, sometimes a solitary flower, with a strongly connate, funnel-like,
plicate corolla (12).
Ethnobotanical Uses: Used by the Seminoles to treat itchy skin. Also used for circumcision,
wounds, and tumors. Planted as an ornamental, cover crop, and for cattle feed (4, 5, 6, 7, 8).
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the pappus is formed into bristles, and their glandular style branches have very long stigmatic
lines (12).
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1) Habit image from www.invasive.org Ted Bodner, Southern Weed Science Society,
Bugwood.org
2) Plant in mass growth is copyright wetlandbiology.net by Glenn Galau
3) The image of the leaf is by Shirley Denton and was derived from the Atlas of Florida Vascular
Plants at http://www.florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Photo.aspx?id=1346
4) The image of the flower closeup is by Matthew Merritt and was derived from the Atlas of
Florida Vascular Plants at http://www.florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Photo.aspx?id=8550
5) The achene image is courtesy of Steve Hurst @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=MISC&photoID=misc_005_ahp.tif
PRIMARY AUTHOR: Marko Melymuka, with assistance from Chris Junge & Robyn J. Burnham
For additional information on Michigan Plant Diversity web pages please contact Robyn J.
Burnham via email: rburnham“at”umich.edu