Cissus discolor Blume, Vitaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Evaluate, score: 1 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Cissus javana DC.; Vitis discolor (Bl.) Dalz.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: climbing begonia, rex begonia vine, trailing begonia

Habit:  vine

Description:  "Leaves ovate-oblong-lanceolate, from a cordate or (highest leaves) truncate base, acuminate, dark green on the upper surface, usually with a double longitudinal row of greyish green blotches, dark red beneath, on the nerves often with  a few white malpighiaceous hairs, 5 1/2-25 cm by 2 1/2-21 1/2 cm; petiole red, 1-3 cm; stipules long-persistent.  Inflorescences often secund, borne on 1/2-1 1/2 cm peduncle, or subsessile and then short and dense, glabrous or subglabrous like the rest of the plant; main branches 4-5; pedicels red; calyx entirely or partly red; petals green, often with a red top, 2-2 1/2 mm long, glabrous; berry globose, blackish red.  Calyx unequal-sided, at the base unilaterally gibbous.  Tendrils 2-fid.  Ovary glabrous.  Stem 5-6-angular, red at the top" (Backer & Bakhuizen van den Brink, 1965; pp. 90-91).

Habitat/ecology:  Forests, brushwood (Backer & Bakhuizen van den Brink, 1965; pp. 90-91).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  China, south and southeast Asia, Malesia (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: J. Florence 6638 (PAP) Cultivée
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (p. 6) In forests, altitude 700 to 1,500 m.

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)

Additional information:
Additional online information about Cissus discolor is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Cissus discolor as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Cissus discolor may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Backer, C. A./Bakhuizen van den Brink, R. C. 1965. Flora of Java, Vol. 2. N.V. P. Noordhoff, Groningen, The Netherlands. 641 pp.

Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. 2011. Base de données botaniques Nadeaud de l'Herbier de la Polynésie Française (PAP). (online resource).

Merrill, Elmer D. 1923. An enumeration of Philippine flowering plants, vol. 3 [reprint]. Bureau of Printing, Manila. 628 pp.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2011. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.