''Celastrus'', commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is the type genus of the family

Celastraceae The Celastraceae (staff-vine or bittersweet) are a family of 98 genera and 1,350 species of herbs, vines, shrubs and small trees, belonging to the order Celastrales. The great majority of the genera are tropical, with only ''Celastrus'' (the staf ...

; it contains over 40 species of

shrub A shrub or bush is a small to medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees by their multiple ...

s and

vine A vine is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent (that is, climbing) stems, lianas, or runners. The word ''vine'' can also refer to such stems or runners themselves, for instance, when used in wicker work.Jackson; Benjamin; Da ...

s, which have a wide distribution in

East Asia East Asia is a geocultural region of Asia. It includes China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan, plus two special administrative regions of China, Hong Kong and Macau. The economies of Economy of China, China, Economy of Ja ...

Australasia Australasia is a subregion of Oceania, comprising Australia, New Zealand (overlapping with Polynesia), and sometimes including New Guinea and surrounding islands (overlapping with Melanesia). The term is used in a number of different context ...

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

, and the

Americas The Americas, sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North America and South America.''Webster's New World College Dictionary'', 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio. When viewed as a sing ...

Description

The

leaves A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, ...

are alternate and simple, ovoid, and typically long. The

flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

s are small, white, pink or greenish, and borne in long

panicle In botany, a panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a p ...

s; the

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propaga ...

is a three-valved

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 of berries in the cul ...

. In

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

, they are known as bittersweet, presumably a result of confusion with the unrelated bittersweet (''

Solanum dulcamara ''Solanum dulcamara'' is a species of vine in the genus ''Solanum'' (which also includes the potato and the tomato) of the family Solanaceae. Common names include bittersweet, bittersweet nightshade, bitter nightshade, blue bindweed, Amara Dulci ...

'') by early colonists. '' C. orbiculatus'' is a serious invasive

weed A weed is a plant considered undesirable in a particular situation, growing where it conflicts with human preferences, needs, or goals.Harlan, J. R., & deWet, J. M. (1965). Some thoughts about weeds. ''Economic botany'', ''19''(1), 16-24. Pla ...

in much of eastern North America.

Species

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. History Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...

''Plants of the World Online
''Celastrus'' L. (retrieved 10 September 2023) includes: # ''

Celastrus aculeatus ''Celastrus'', commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is the type genus of the family Celastraceae; it contains over 40 species of shrubs and vines, which have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Ame ...

'' Merr. # ''

Celastrus angulatus ''Celastrus'', commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is the type genus of the family Celastraceae; it contains over 40 species of shrubs and vines, which have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Ame ...

'' Maxim. # ''

Celastrus australis ''Celastrus'', commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is the type genus of the family Celastraceae; it contains over 40 species of shrubs and vines, which have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Ame ...

'' Harv. & F.Muell. – Australian staff vine # ''

Celastrus caseariifolius ''Celastrus'', commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is the type genus of the family Celastraceae; it contains over 40 species of shrubs and vines, which have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Ame ...

'' Lundell # ''

Celastrus cuneatus ''Celastrus'', commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is the type genus of the family Celastraceae; it contains over 40 species of shrubs and vines, which have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Ame ...

'' (Rehder & E.H.Wilson) C.Y.Cheng & T.C.Kao # ''

Celastrus flagellaris ''Celastrus'', commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is the type genus of the family Celastraceae; it contains over 40 species of shrubs and vines, which have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Ame ...

'' Rupr. # ''

Celastrus franchetianus ''Celastrus'', commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is the type genus of the family Celastraceae; it contains over 40 species of shrubs and vines, which have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Ame ...

'' Loes. # ''

Celastrus gemmatus ''Celastrus'', commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is the type genus of the family Celastraceae; it contains over 40 species of shrubs and vines, which have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Ame ...

'' Loes. # ''

Celastrus glaucophyllus ''Celastrus'', commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is the type genus of the family Celastraceae; it contains over 40 species of shrubs and vines, which have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Ame ...

'' Rehder & E.H.Wilson # ''

Celastrus grenadensis ''Celastrus'', commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is the type genus of the family Celastraceae; it contains over 40 species of shrubs and vines, which have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Ame ...

'' Urb. # '' Celastrus hindsii'' Benth. # '' Celastrus hirsutus'' H.F.Comber # ''

Celastrus homaliifolius ''Celastrus'', commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is the type genus of the family Celastraceae; it contains over 40 species of shrubs and vines, which have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Ame ...

'' P.S.Hsu # ''

Celastrus hookeri ''Celastrus'', commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is the type genus of the family Celastraceae; it contains over 40 species of shrubs and vines, which have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Ame ...

'' Prain # '' Celastrus hypoleucoides'' P.L.Chiu # '' Celastrus hypoleucus'' (Oliv.) Warb. ex Loes. # ''

Celastrus kusanoi ''Celastrus'', commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is the type genus of the family Celastraceae; it contains over 40 species of shrubs and vines, which have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Ame ...

'' Hayata # '' Celastrus lenticellatus'' Lundell # '' Celastrus madagascariensis'' Loes. # '' Celastrus membranifolius'' Prain # '' Celastrus microcarpus'' D.Don # ''

Celastrus monospermoides ''Celastrus'', commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is the type genus of the family Celastraceae; it contains over 40 species of shrubs and vines, which have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Ame ...

'' Loes. # '' Celastrus monospermus'' Roxb. # '' Celastrus novoguineensis'' Merr. & L.M.Perry # '' Celastrus oblanceifolius'' Chen H.Wang & P.C.Tsoong # '' Celastrus obovatifolius'' X.Y.Mu & Z.X.Zhang # '' Celastrus orbiculatus'' Thunb. – Oriental bittersweet # '' Celastrus panamensis'' Lundell # '' Celastrus paniculatus'' Willd. – black oil plant, climbing staff tree, or intellect tree # ''

Celastrus pringlei ''Celastrus'', commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is the type genus of the family Celastraceae; it contains over 40 species of shrubs and vines, which have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Ame ...

'' Rose # ''

Celastrus punctatus ''Celastrus'', commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is the type genus of the family Celastraceae; it contains over 40 species of shrubs and vines, which have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Ame ...

'' Thunb. # ''

Celastrus richii ''Celastrus'', commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is the type genus of the family Celastraceae; it contains over 40 species of shrubs and vines, which have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Ame ...

'' A.Gray # '' Celastrus rosthornianus'' Loes. # '' Celastrus rugosus'' Rehder & E.H.Wilson # '' Celastrus scandens'' L. – American bittersweet # ''

Celastrus stephanotiifolius ''Celastrus'', commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is the type genus of the family Celastraceae; it contains over 40 species of shrubs and vines, which have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Ame ...

'' (Makino) Makino # '' Celastrus stylosus'' Wall. # '' Celastrus subspicatus'' Hook. # '' Celastrus tonkinensis'' Pit. # '' Celastrus vaniotii'' (H.Lév.) Rehder # ''

Celastrus virens ''Celastrus'', commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is the type genus of the family Celastraceae; it contains over 40 species of shrubs and vines, which have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Ame ...

'' (F.T.Wang & T.Tang) C.Y.Cheng & T.C.Kao # '' Celastrus vulcanicola'' Donn.Sm. # ''

Celastrus yuloensis ''Celastrus'', commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is the type genus of the family Celastraceae; it contains over 40 species of shrubs and vines, which have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Ame ...

'' X.Y.Mu # ''

Celastrus zhejiangensis ''Celastrus'', commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is the type genus of the family Celastraceae; it contains over 40 species of shrubs and vines, which have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Ame ...

'' P.L.Chiu, G.Y.Li & Z.H.Chen

References

External links

* {{Authority control Celastraceae Celastrales genera