Anredera cordifolia (Introduced)

Anredera cordifolia (Ten.) Steenis, Fl. Males. 5: 303 1957. (Syn: Anredera cordifolia subsp. gracilis (Miers) Xifreda & Argimón; Boussingaultia cordata Spreng.; Boussingaultia cordifolia Ten.; Boussingaultia gracilis Miers; Boussingaultia gracilis f. pseudobaselloides Hauman; Boussingaultia gracilis var. pseudobaselloides (Hauman) L.H.Bailey);

Madeira vine, lamb’s tails;

S. Trop. America to N. Argentina (as per WCSP);

Argentina (Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chaco, Cordoba, Corrientes, Distrito
Federal, Entre Rios, Formosa, Jujuy, Misiones, Salta, Santiago del Estero, Santa
Fe, San Luis, Tucuman), S-Brazil (Parana, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina),
Paraguay (Alto Paraguay, Central, Guaira, Paraguari, Pres. Hayes, San Pedro),
Uruguay (Artigas, Colonia, Montevideo, Rio Negro, Salto, Soriano), Peru, Bolivia
(Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, La Paz, Santa Cruz, Tarija), SE-Brazil (Sao Paulo, Rio
de Janeiro), Costa Rica (I), Ecuador (I), Puerto Rico (I), Colombia (I), USA (I)
(California (I), Florida (I), Louisiana (I), Texas (I)), Mexico (I), Portugal
(I), Spain (I), France (I), Malta (I), Greece (I), Crete (I), Croatia (I),
Australia (I) (Queensland (I), New South Wales (I), Tasmania (I)), trop. Africa
(I), Java (I), Thailand (I), Nepal (I), South Africa (I), Lesotho (I), Swaziland
(I), Lord Howe Isl. (I), Norfolk Isl. (I), China (I) (Jiangsu (I), Zhejiang (I),
Fujian (I), Guangdong (I), Sichuan (I), Yunnan (I), Beijing (I)), Niue (I),
Mauritius (I), La Runion (I), Yemen (I), Azores (I) (Santa Maria Isl. (I), Sao
Miguel Isl. (I), Terceira (I), Graciosa (I), Sao Jorge (I), Pico (I), Faial (I),
Flores Isl. (I)), Madeira (I) (Madeira Isl. (I), Porto Santo Isl. (I)), Canary
Isl. (I) (Fuerteventura (I), Gran Canaria (I), Tenerife (I), La Gomera (I),
Hierro (I), La Palma Isl. (I)), Cape Verde Isl. (I) (Santo Antao Isl. (I)),
Morocco (I), Hawaii (I) (Kauai (I), Oahu (I), Molokai (I), Lanai (I), Maui (I),
Hawaii Isl. (I)), S-Line Isl. (I) (Caroline Atoll (I)) as per Catalogue of Life;

Anredera cordifolia, commonly known as the Madeira-vine^[1] or mignonette vine,^[2] is a South American species of ornamental succulent vine of the family Basellaceae. The combination of fleshy leaves and thick aerial tubers makes this a very heavy vine. It smothers trees and other vegetation it grows on and can easily break branches and bring down entire trees on its own.^[3]

A. cordifolia is an evergreen climber that grows from fleshy rhizomes. It has bright green, heart-shaped, fleshy shiny leaves 4–13 cm long. Wart-like tubers are produced on aerial stems and are a key to identifying the plant. It produces masses of small fragrant, cream flowers on dependent racemes, which may be up to 30 cm (12 in) in length. The plant spreads via the tubers, which detach very easily.^[3]

A. cordifolia can reproduce through the proliferation of tubers and also from rhizome fragments that may be broken off. Although this species has both male and female flowers they rarely reproduce sexually and produce seed. This species often spreads through its own vegetative growth, but can easily be transported by human activities. If fragments end up in waterways, they are easily transported to new locations in this manner.^[3]

It has been introduced to Africa, Australasia-Pacific region, Europe, and North America; it is considered an invasive species in many tropical and sub-tropical localities.^[3] It is listed on the New Zealand National Pest Plant Accord which limits its cultivation and sale. The Australian Weeds Committee published a Draft Madeira Vine Strategy in August 2012 ^[4] which is aimed at preventing the spread and reducing the impacts of this vine throughout Australia.^[5]

(from Wikipedia on 7.3.16)

Images by Santhan P.

/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Anredera%20cordifolia.JPG

/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Anredera%20cordifolia3%20-%20Copy.JPG

Anredera cordifolia (Ten.) Steenis SN Oct 08 : 5 posts by 3 authors. Attachments (2).

Anredera cordifolia (Ten.) Steenis, Basellaceae succulent climber often found in the hill stations like Ooty, Yercaud, Kolli hills etc. Stem is having bunches of knot like bulbils, we misunderstood it as Basella alba.

Yes this species was mentioned as a new addition to non-indigenous flora of India in 2012.

Thanks a lot … for this post and information..

I had seen this plant two years back near Kausani.. I could not go further than Basellaceae, I am attaching two pics of the same (though not clear) for confirmation please…

Yes … this Anredera species has naturalized at many temperate places in Uttarakhand like Naini Tal, Almora, Champavat, Kausani etc. However, it is not certain for me that it is the same species (A.cordifolia) as I have never seen tubers/ bulbils. The species need to be determined properly.

Thanks …, This was a profusely branched climber on a tree stem, the inflorescence all dried up, this always remained in my unidentified list, at least generic level id is achieved, this is satisfying…