Akebia quinata

(Houttuyn) Decaisne

Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. 1: 195, fig. 1(a-c). 1839.

Common names: Chocolate-vine five-leaf
IllustratedIntroduced
Basionym: Rajania quinata Houttuyn Nat. Hist. 11: 366, plate 75, fig. 1. 1779
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 3.

Plants, deciduous to semi-evergreen, climbing to 12 m, glabrous. Leaves: petiole 1.6-12.5 cm; leaflets mostly 5, petiolules 0.2-2.2 cm, blades oblong to ovate-elliptic, 0.7-8.2 × 0.4-4.2 cm, base rounded, margins entire, apex retuse. Inflorescences pendent, 4.5-12 cm; pedicel with basal bracts. Flowers fragrant. Staminate flowers 4-15 per inflorescence, 1.2-1.6 cm diam.; sepals oblong to ovate or elliptic, 5-9 mm; stamens 4-5 mm. Pistillate flowers (0-)1-5 per inflorescence, 2-3 cm diam.; sepals elliptic to ovate or nearly orbiculate, 10 16­mm; pistils 3-7, 1 or more maturing. Follicles glaucous, violet to dark purple, oblong, 5-15 cm. Seeds black, ovoid, embedded in whitish pulp.


Phenology: Flowering spring, fruiting fall (Sep–Oct).
Habitat: Waste places, open woodlands
Elevation: 0-400 m

Distribution

V3 218-distribution-map.gif

Introduced; Conn., Ga., Ind., Ky., Md., Mass., Mich., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., Va., W.Va., native, Asia.

Discussion

No specimens are known from Rhode Island.

A fast-growing, invasive vine whose aggressiveness may at times approach that of Lonicera japonica, Akebia quinata is occasionally planted as an ornamental; it is of more botanical than horticultural interest. A greenish to whitish flowered variant, known from Asia, is cultivated in North America. The edible, though allegedly insipid, fruits are apparently uncommon in cultivation; cross pollination appears to be necessary for their development (C. S. Sargent 1891).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Akebia quinata"
John W. Thieret +  and John T. Kartesz +
(Houttuyn) Decaisne +
Rajania quinata +
Chocolate-vine +  and five-leaf +
Conn. +, Ga. +, Ind. +, Ky. +, Md. +, Mass. +, Mich. +, N.J. +, N.Y. +, N.C. +, Ohio +, Pa. +, Va. +, W.Va. +, native +  and Asia. +
0-400 m +
Waste places, open woodlands +
Flowering spring, fruiting fall (Sep–Oct). +
Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. +
Illustrated +  and Introduced +
Akebia quinata +
species +