Merremia vitifolia (Burm. f.) Hall. f., Convolvulaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  no

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Convolvulus vitifolius Burm f.; Ipomoea vitifolia Bl.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: zhang ye yu huang cao

Habit:  vine

Description:  "A large twiner. Stems terete, the older ones striate, 2-4 m, glabrous or patently hirsute with white or fulvous hairs. Leaves orbicular in outline, 5-18 by 5-16 cm, cordate at the base, palmately 5-7-lobed, lobes broad-triangular to lanceolate, more or less acuminate or acute to obtuse at the apex and mucronulate, mostly not contracted at the base or sometimes slightly so, coarsely dentate to crenate, or subentire, sparsely to densely hairy on both sides, more densely beneath than above, or glabrous above; petiole 2-15 cm, occasionally longer, patently hairy or glabrous. Peduncles axillary, 1-3- or several-flowered, shorter or longer than the petiole, 1-15 cm or more, patently hirsute, thickened towards the apex, clavate in fruit. Bracts subulate, 1 «-2 mm. Flower-buds narrow-ovoid, acute. Sepals oblong to ovate-oblong, obtuse or acutish, mucronulate, the outer ones more or less hirsute, glabrescent, the inner ones glabrous, all with glandular pellucid dots, 12-20 mm long, in fruit to 20-25 mm and then thick, subleathery, whitish inside and with many glandular pits. Corolla funnel-shaped 4-6 cm long, glabrous, bright yellow, paler towards the base; the limb with 5 obtuse lobes, midpetaline bands distinctly 5-nerved. Anthers spirally twisted. Ovary glabrous. Capsule subglobose, ca 12 mm high, papery, straw-colored, 4-valved. Seeds 4 or less, 6-7 mm long, dull black or blackish-brown, glabrous" (van Steenis, 1954; p. 448).

Habitat/ecology:  In China (native), "roadsides, thickets, forests; (100-)400-1600 m" (Flora of China online).  "Both in regions with a feeble and in those with a rather strong dry season, in open grasslands, thickets, and hedges, along fields, in teak-forests, along edges of secondary forests, on river-banks and waysides, from sea level to ca 900 m" (van Steenis, 1954; p. 448).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  "India and Ceylon to Indo-China and the Andamans, throughout Malaysia" (van Steenis, 1954; p. 448).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (pp. 362-363) In open grasslands, deserted clearings, and thickets at low altitudes.

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	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Roadsides, thickets, forests; (100-) 400-1600 m. Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Yunnan.
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Comments:  Although native there, cited as a weed in Thailand by Matchacheep, 1995. Other Merremias are invasive species.

Control:  If you know of control methods for Merremia vitifolia, please let us know.