Vines of Berrien County, Michigan

Credit: Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculata), courtesy of USDA Forest Service.

Vines constitute a particular growth form (or habit) of vascular plants. Plants USDA defines a vine as follows:

Twining/climbing plant with relatively long stems, can be woody or herbaceous.

The vines of Berrien County constitute a subset of the monocots and dicots known from the county.

Of the 48 species listed below, 13 occur only as vines; 27 can also be forbs/herbs under certain conditions; 3 can be subshrubs; 2 can be shrubs; 1 can be a forb/herb or subshrub; 1 can be a subshrub or shrub; and 1 can be a forb/herb, subshrub, or shrub, depending on conditions. These 48 species represent 27 genera, 19 families, 16 orders, and 2 classes.

Scientific and common names follow the online USDA Plants database. Species known to occur in Berrien County only as a result of human Introduction are denoted by [I]. Species for which there is a question as to their Native or Introduced origin are denoted [I?].

Species that have been determined to be of Special Plants in Michigan are denoted as follows: [SC] = Special Concern, [T] = Threatened.

Growth habits are denoted as follows: {f/b} = forb/herb, {ss} = subshrub [=dwarf shrub], {s} = shrub, {v} = vine (woody plus herbaceous). Species known to have woody stems are denoted with a {W}.

CLASS LILIOPSIDA (monocots)

ORDER LILIALES

Family Dioscoreaceae (yams):

Dioscorea vollosa, Wild Yam (f/h/v}

Family Smilacaceae (catbriers):

Smilax ecirrhata, Upright Carrionflower {f/h/v}

Smilax illinoensis, Illinois Greenbrier {f/h/v}

Smilax lasioneura, Blue Ridge Carrionflower {f/h/v}

Smilax rotundifolia, Roundleaf Greenbrier (s/v}

Smilax tamnoides, Bristly Greenbrier (s/v} {W}

CLASS MAGNOLIOPSIDA (dicots)

ORDER CELASTRALES

Family Celastraceae (bittersweet family):

Celastrus orbiculata, Oriental Bittersweet [I] {v} {W}

Celastrus scandens, American Bittersweet {v} {W}

Euonymus obovatus (=obovata), Running Strawberry Bush {ss/s/v}

ORDER DIPSACALES

Family Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle family):

Lonicera dioica, Limber Honeysuckle {v} {W}

Lonicera japonica, Japanese Honeysuckle [I] {v} {W}

ORDER GENTIANALES

Family Apocynaceae (dogbane family):

Vinca minor, Common Periwinkle [I] {f/h/v} {W}

ORDER PAPAVERALES

Family Fumariaceae (fumitory family):

Adlumia fungosa, Allegheny Vine [SC] {f/h/v}

ORDER POLYGALALES

Family Polygonaceae (buckwheat family):

Polygonum arifolium, Halberdleaf Tearthumb {f/h/v}

Polygonum cilinode, Fringed Black Bindweed {f/h/v}

Polygonum convolvulus, Black Bindweed [I] {f/h/v}

Polygonum sagittatum, Arrowleaf Tearthum {f/h/v}

Polygonum scandens, Climbing False Buckwheat [I?] {f/h/v}

ORDER RANUNCULALES

Family Menispermaceae (moonseed family):

Menispermum canadense, Common Moonseed {v} {W}

Family Ranunculaceae (buttercup family):

Clematis virginiana, Devil’s Darning Needles {v} {W}

ORDER RHAMNALES

Family Vitaceae (grape family):

Parthenocissus quinquefolia (including inserta), Virginia Creeper {v} {W}

Vitis aestivalis, Summer Grape {v} {W}

Vitis labrusca, Fox Grape {v} {W}

Vitis riparia, Riverbank Grape {v} {W}

Vitis vulpina, Frost Grape [T] {v} {W}

ORDER ROSALES

Family Rosaceae (rose family):

Rosa multiflora, Multiflora Rose [I] {ss/v} {W}

Rosa setigera, Climbing Rose {ss/v} {W}

Rubus laciniatus, Cutleaf Blackberry [I] {ss/v} {W}

ORDER RUBIALES

Family Rubiaceae (madder family):

Galium aparine, Stickywilly {f/h/v}

Galium trifidum, Threepetal Bedstraw {f/h/v}

Galium verum, Yellow Spring Bedstraw [I] {f/h/v}

ORDER SAPINDALES

Family Anacardiaceae (sumac family):

Toxicodendron radicans, Eastern Poison Ivy {f/h/ss/s/v} {W}

ORDER SCROPHULARIALES

Family Bignoniaceae (trumpet-creeper family):

Campsis radicans, Trumpet Creeper {v} {W}

ORDER SOLANALES

Family Convolvulaceae (morning-glory family):

Calystegia sepsium, Hedge False Bindweed [I?] {f/h/v}

Calystegia silvatica, Shortstalk False Bindweed [I?] {f/h/v}

Convolvulus arvensis, Field Bindweed [I] {v}

Ipomoea pandurata, Man of the Earth [T] {f/h/v}

Ipomoea purpurea, Tall Morning-glory [I] {f/h/v}

Family Cuscutaceae (dodder family):

Cuscuta campestris, Fiveangled Dodder^ [SC] {f/h/v}

Cuscuta cephalanthi, Buttonbush Dodder {f/h/v}

Cuscuta glomerata, Rope Dodder [SC (last observed 1906)] {f/h/v}

Cuscuta grovoni, Scaldweed {f/h/v}

Family Solanaceae (potato family):

Solanum dulcamara, Climbing Nightshade [I] {f/h/ss/v}

ORDER URTICALES

Family Cannabaceae (hemp family):

Humulus lupulus, Common Hop [I?] {f/h/v}

ORDER VIOLALES

Family Cucurbitaceae (cucumber family):

Citrullus lanatus, Watermelon [I] {f/h/v}

Cucurbita foetidissima, Missouri Gourd {f/h/v}

Echinocystis lobata, Wild Cucumber {f/h/v}

Sicyos angulatus, Oneseed Bur Cucumber {f/h/v}