Cocculus carolinus

(Linnaeus) de Candolle

Syst. Nat. 1: 524. 1818.

Common names: Red-berried moonseed coral vine margil hierba de ojo
Illustrated
Basionym: Menispermum carolinum Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 1: 340. 1753
Synonyms: Epibaterium carolinum (Linnaeus) Britton
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 3.

Vines, to 5 m or more; rhizomes to 1.4 cm diam. Stems with spreading pubescence. Leaves: petiole to 10 cm. Leaf blade generally ovate or deltate, sometimes sagittate or hastate, to 17 × 14 cm, membranous to leathery, base sometimes with 3-5 lobes, margins usually entire, apex acuminate to rounded, then often retuse, mucronate; surfaces abaxially slightly pale, rarely glaucous, sparsely to densely pilose, adaxially glabrous to sparsely pilose; venation 5. Inflorescences to 22 cm; bracteoles often present; rachis glabrous or tomentose, not glaucous. Flowers: perianth parts not glaucous; sepals in 3 series, outer sepals 0-3, ovate, 0.3-1.4 × 0.2-0.8 mm, pilose, middle 3 sepals ovate to elliptic or obovate, 1-3 × 0.6-2 mm, glabrous to pilose, inner 3 sepals elliptic to nearly orbiculate or obovate, 0.8-3 × 0.8-2 mm, glabrous to sparsely pilose; petals (5-)6, yellow, elliptic, deltate, rhombic, obovate, or nearly orbiculate, 0.6-2 × 0.4-1.4 mm, glabrous. Staminate flowers: stamens (5-)6, to 2.2 mm; pistillodes to 0.5 mm. Pistillate flowers: staminodes to 0.8 mm; pistils to 2 mm. Drupes red, 5-8 mm diam. 2n = 78.


Phenology: Flowering late spring–early fall.
Habitat: Woodland and shrub borders, along streams, fencerows, waste places
Elevation: 0-500 m

Distribution

V3 301-distribution-map.gif

Ala., Ark., Del., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Kans., Ky., La., Miss., Mo., N.C., Okla., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va., Mexico.

Discussion

Cocculus carolinus was used by some Native American tribes medicinally to treat blood ailments (D. E. Moerman 1986).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Cocculus carolinus"
Donald G. Rhodes +
(Linnaeus) de Candolle +
Menispermum carolinum +
Red-berried moonseed +, coral vine +, margil +  and hierba de ojo +
Ala. +, Ark. +, Del. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, Ill. +, Ind. +, Kans. +, Ky. +, La. +, Miss. +, Mo. +, N.C. +, Okla. +, S.C. +, Tenn. +, Tex. +, Va. +  and Mexico. +
0-500 m +
Woodland and shrub borders, along streams, fencerows, waste places +
Flowering late spring–early fall. +
Illustrated +
Epibaterium carolinum +
Cocculus carolinus +
Cocculus +
species +