Lianas, high climbing or scrambling. Tendrils (2–)3–5-branched, usually without, rarely with, adhesive discs. Leaves palmately compound; petiole ± equaling blade; leaflets 5(–6), lustrous adaxially, oblong-obovate to elliptic, 4–10 × 2–4 cm, thin, herbaceous, base cuneate, margins coarsely serrate, usually distally, apex acuminate, surfaces glabrous or abaxial puberulent. Inflorescences dichotomously branched, without distinct central axis. Flowers greenish to reddish green. Berries subglobose, 6–12 mm diam. 2n = 40.

Phenology: Flowering May–Jun; fruiting Aug–Sep.
Habitat: Open woods, hillsides, thickets, ravines, fencerows, roadsides, waste places.
Elevation: 40–2500 m.

Distribution

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B.C., Man., N.B., N.S., Ont., Que., Sask., Ariz., Calif., Colo., Conn., Del., D.C., Idaho, Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Mo., Mont., Nebr., Nev., N.H., N.J., N.Mex., N.Y., N.Dak., Ohio, Okla., Oreg., Pa., R.I., S.Dak., Tex., Utah, Vt., Wash., Wis., Wyo.

Discussion

The species treated here as Parthenocissus vitacea has sometimes been called P. inserta (for example, C. C. Deam 1940, M. L. Fernald 1950, H. J. Scoggan 1978–1979, J. S. Pringle 2010). According to the original description and illustration of Vitis inserta, the latter's basionym, that species has much branched tendrils and shows adhesive discs or tendencies of such discs (enlarged tendril tips). These traits are different from those of P. vitacea, which bears 2–4(–5) branched tendrils without enlarged tips, and therefore those names are treated here as synonyms of P. quinquefolia (but see arguments by Pringle).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.