Dolichandra unguis-cati

Dolichandra unguis-cati, commonly known as cats claw creeper, funnel creeper,[2] or cat's claw trumpet,[2] is a rapidly growing climbing vine belonging to the family Bignoniaceae.[3]

Dolichandra unguis-cati
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Bignoniaceae
Genus: Dolichandra
Species:
D. unguis-cati
Binomial name
Dolichandra unguis-cati
(L.) Miers 1863
Synonyms[1]

Description
The fruits of Dolichandra unguis-cati are 40–50 cm (16–20 in) long

Dolichandra unguis-cati has semipersistent foliage. Stems are woody and can reach 20 metres (66 ft). Thin and small aerial roots are used for climbing. Leaves are dark green, opposite and bifoliate. Leaflets have a length of 3 to 4 cm (1.2 to 1.6 in). The plant produces flowers during the wet season. Flowers are yellow, have a diameter of 4 to 5 cm (1.6 to 2.0 in) and can grow alone or in groups of two or three. Long primary roots extend beneath the soil surface, producing large tubers 40–50 cm (16–20 in) long. Fruits are brown flattened capsules from 25 to 95 cm (9.8 to 37.4 in) long. Each capsule contains 100 to 200 seeds.

Distribution and habitat

This plant is native to the tropical dry forest of Central America, South America and the Caribbean. In these natural areas it occurs from sea level to over 600 metres (2,000 ft) above sea level and where the rainfall is 750 to 2,400 mm (30 to 94 in) per year. It can become invasive and it is present worldwide. It can affect all layers of plants of forest ecosystems by rapidly spreading both vertically and horizontally.

References
Notes
  1. "The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species".
  2. "USDA GRIN Taxonomy". Archived from the original on 2013-04-09.
  3. "Cat's claw creeper (Macfadyena unguis-cati)". Brisbane Rainforest Newsletter; Brisbane Rainforest Action & Information Network. April 1996. Archived from the original on 15 December 2012. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
Bibliography
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