''Bryonia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the

gourd family The Cucurbitaceae, also called cucurbits or the gourd family, are a plant family consisting of about 965 species in around 95 genera, of which the most important to humans are: *''Cucurbita'' – squash, pumpkin, zucchini, some gourds *'' Lage ...

. Bryony is its best-known common name. They are native to western Eurasia and adjacent regions, such as North Africa, the

Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...

and South Asia.

Description and ecology

Bryonies are perennial, tendril- climbing,

diclinous Plant reproductive morphology is the study of the physical form and structure (the morphology) of those parts of plants directly or indirectly concerned with sexual reproduction. Among all living organisms, flowers, which are the reproductive st ...

dioecious Dioecy (; ; adj. dioecious , ) is a characteristic of a species, meaning that it has distinct individual organisms (unisexual) that produce male or female gametes, either directly (in animals) or indirectly (in seed plants). Dioecious reproductio ...

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

s with palmately lobed leaves and flowers in axillary clusters. The fruit is a smooth, globular

berry A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples are strawberries, raspb ...

. ''Bryonia'' is used as a food plant by the larvae of some

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...

(

butterflies Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the Order (biology), order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The ...

and moths), including the tortrix moth '' Phtheochroa rugosana'' (recorded on red bryony, ''B. dioica'') and the cabbage moth (''Mamestra brassicae''). The horticultural value contributes to formation of pest and crop damage by the food plant consumption.

Use by humans

Bryonies are occasionally grown in gardens, sometimes accidentally, sometimes deliberately so. Some species find use in

herbal medicine Herbal medicine (also herbalism) is the study of pharmacognosy and the use of medicinal plants, which are a basis of traditional medicine. With worldwide research into pharmacology, some herbal medicines have been translated into modern remed ...

. Generally however, these plants are

poison Poison is a chemical substance that has a detrimental effect to life. The term is used in a wide range of scientific fields and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied colloquially or figuratively, with a broa ...

ous, some highly so, and may be fatal if ingested. Cucurbitacin glycosides are primarily responsible for the plants' bitterness and emetic effects. Variants of the plants' name, such as Briony, Bryonie and Bryony, are used in some cultures as female

given name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a fa ...

s. They were quite popular in the 18th century. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom named two ships HMS ''Bryony'' after the plant.

Species

Twelve species are currently accepted by the USDA: Ten of these are supported in a molecular-phylogenetic analysis:Volz and Renner (2009) The only English species, '' B. dioica'' (white bryony), grows in

hedgerow A hedge or hedgerow is a line of closely spaced shrubs and sometimes trees, planted and trained to form a barrier or to mark the boundary of an area, such as between neighbouring properties. Hedges that are used to separate a road from adjoini ...

s as far north as Yorkshire. * '' Bryonia acuta'' Desf. (formerly sometimes included in ''B. cretica'') * '' Bryonia alba'' L. – white bryony * ''

Bryonia aspera ''Bryonia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the gourd family. Bryony is its best-known common name. They are native to western Eurasia and adjacent regions, such as North Africa, the Canary Islands and South Asia. Description and ecology ...

'' Steven ex Ledeb. * ''

Bryonia cretica ''Bryonia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the gourd family. Bryony is its best-known common name. They are native to western Eurasia and adjacent regions, such as North Africa, the Canary Islands and South Asia. Description and ecology B ...

'' L. – Cretan bryony * ''

Bryonia dioica ''Bryonia dioica'', known by the common names red bryony and white bryony, also English mandrake or ladies' seal, is a perennial climbing vine indigenous to Central and Southern Europe. It is a flowering plant in the cucumber family Cucurbitac ...

'' Jacq. – white or red bryony (formerly sometimes included in ''B. cretica'') * ''

Bryonia lappifolia ''Bryonia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the gourd family. Bryony is its best-known common name. They are native to western Eurasia and adjacent regions, such as North Africa, the Canary Islands and South Asia. Description and ecology B ...

'' Vassilcz. * '' Bryonia marmorata'' E.M.A.Petit * ''

Bryonia melanocarpa ''Bryonia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the Cucurbitaceae, gourd family. Bryony is its best-known common name. They are native to western Eurasia and adjacent regions, such as North Africa, the Canary Islands and South Asia. Description ...

'' Nabiev * '' Bryonia monoica'' Aitch. & Hemsl. * ''

Bryonia multiflora ''Bryonia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the gourd family. Bryony is its best-known common name. They are native to western Eurasia and adjacent regions, such as North Africa, the Canary Islands and South Asia. Description and ecology B ...

'' Boiss. & Heldr. * ''

Bryonia syriaca ''Bryonia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the gourd family. Bryony is its best-known common name. They are native to western Eurasia and adjacent regions, such as North Africa, the Canary Islands and South Asia. Description and ecology ...

'' Boiss. * ''

Bryonia verrucosa ''Bryonia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the gourd family. Bryony is its best-known common name. They are native to western Eurasia and adjacent regions, such as North Africa, the Canary Islands and South Asia. Description and ecology B ...

'' Aiton

Bryonieae - Zaunrübe IMG 20170712 185924231

Formerly placed here

* Many species of '' Cayaponia'' ("American bryonies") * Several species of '' Cucumis'', '' Solena'' and ''

Zehneria ''Zehneria'' is a genus of flowering plants – of vines in the cucumber and gourd family, Cucurbitaceae. It contains about 35 species ranging from Africa, through Southeast Asia to Australia and Oceania. The name honours botanical artist Jos ...

'' * ''

Coccinia abyssinica ''Coccinia abyssinica'' is an Ethiopian species of ''Coccinia'' which was first described by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck. The tuber is under its Oromo name anchote a well-known local crop, but also the leaves are eaten. Description Perennial, dioe ...

'' * ''

Corallocarpus epigaeus ''Corallocarpus'' is a genus of succulent plant In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''suc ...

'' * '' Diplocyclos palmatus'' * '' Kedrostis africana'' * ''

Melothria pendula ''Melothria pendula'', also known as the creeping cucumber or the Guadeloupe cucumber, is a plant in the Benincaseae Benincaseae is one of 15 Tribe (biology), tribes in the family Cucurbitaceae. Subtribes and genera Benincaseae consists of ...

'' (as ''B. guadalupensis'') * '' Trichosanthes ovigera'' (as ''B. cucumeroides'')

Footnotes

References

* (2009):

Siren SOS Germplasm Resources Information Network Siren or sirens may refer to: Common meanings * Siren (alarm), a loud acoustic alarm used to alert people to emergencies * Siren (mythology), an enchanting but dangerous monster in Greek mythology Places * Siren (town), Wisconsin * Siren, Wisco ...

&ndash
''Bryonia''
Version of 2009-MAY-15. Retrieved 2010-APR-15. * 2009. Phylogeography of the ancient Eurasian medicinal plant genus ''Bryonia'' (Cucurbitaceae) inferred from nuclear and chloroplast sequences. Taxon 58(2): 550-560. * Dioscorides's ''Bruonia melaina'' is ''Bryonia alba'', not ''Tamus communis'', and an illustration labeled ''Bruonia melaina'' in the Codex Vindobonensis is ''Humulus lupulus'' not ''Bryonia dioica''. pp. 273–280. In: Pitrat, M., ed., Cucurbitaceae 2008, https://w3.avignon.inra.fr/dspace/handle/2174/218

External links

- Note: This is a historical document from the 1930s and may not be medically accurate today.

Flowers in Israel {{Taxonbar, from=Q149006 Cucurbitoideae Cucurbitaceae genera Medicinal plants Dioecious plants Poisonous plants