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Cynanchum louiseae Kartesz & Gandhi

Black swallowort, Louise’s swallow-wort, black swallow-wort, black dog-strangling vine

KingdomPlantaePlants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
SubkingdomTracheobiontaVascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
DivisionMagnoliophytaFlowering plants, also known as angiosperms
ClassMagnoliopsidaDicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
SubclassAsteridaeA large class that encompasses asters
OrderGentianalesGentians, coffee, gardenias, frangipani, many others
FamilyAsclepiadaceaeIncludes some herbs, twining shrubs, lianas, leafless stem succulents, rarely trees
GenusCynanchumFrom the Greek kyon or kynos, “dog,” and anchein, “to strangle,” in reference to its supposed use or capacity as a dog poison, or because the vines can strangle an animal
Specieslouiseae

About plant names...

Black swallow-wort is native to Italy, France, Portugal, and Spain. It is an invasive in North America, where it initially escaped from a botanical garden in 1854.

Identification: These vines have oval-shaped leaves with pointed tips, 3-4″ (7.6-10 cm) × 1-2″ (2.5-5 cm) wide, growing in opposing pairs along the vine. They reach heights of 6′ (1.8 m). Small ⅛-¼″ (3.2-6.3 mm) star-shaped flowers are dark purple to nearly black, with white hairs, and occur in clusters of 1-5. Fruits are slender and tapered, 1-3″ (2.5-7.6 cm) long and ¼″ (6.3 mm) wide, resembling those tiny hyperatomic peppers that spice up many Asian dishes. Older fruits turn from green to brown.

Cynanchum louiseae (black swallowort, Louise’s swallow-wort, black swallow-wort, black dog-strangling vine)

Photo by urtica on Flickr (Jenn Forman Orth). Flowers are about ¼″ (6.3 mm) across.

Online References:

Discover Life

The Plant Conservation Alliance’s Alien Plant Working Group Least Wanted List

The Connecticut Botanical Society's Connecticut wildflowers site

Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses

Invasive.org, Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health

Forestry Images

The USDA Forest Service's Fire Effects Information Database

Cynanchum louiseae (black swallowort, Louise’s swallow-wort, black swallow-wort, black dog-strangling vine)

10/2/2010 · Wiccopee, NY · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (11 × 17 cm)

Cynanchum louiseae (black swallowort, Louise’s swallow-wort, black swallow-wort, black dog-strangling vine)

9/19/2013 · Harvard, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 16 cm)

Cynanchum nigrum (L.) Pers., non Cav.

Vincetoxicum nigrum (L.) Moench

 

Cynanchum louiseae description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

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Cynanchum louiseae (black swallowort, Louise’s swallow-wort, black swallow-wort, black dog-strangling vine)

10/2/2010 · Wiccopee, NY · ≈ 4 × 6″ (10 × 15 cm)

Cynanchum louiseae (black swallowort, Louise’s swallow-wort, black swallow-wort, black dog-strangling vine)

10/25/2011 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Dunstable, Dunstable, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 1½ × 1′ (52 × 34 cm)

Cynanchum louiseae (black swallowort, Louise’s swallow-wort, black swallow-wort, black dog-strangling vine)

9/19/2013 · Harvard, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 12 × 8″ (31 × 21 cm)

Cynanchum louiseae (black swallowort, Louise’s swallow-wort, black swallow-wort, black dog-strangling vine)

10/2/2010 · Wiccopee, NY · ≈ 7 × 11″ (18 × 27 cm)

Cynanchum louiseae (black swallowort, Louise’s swallow-wort, black swallow-wort, black dog-strangling vine)

9/19/2013 · Harvard, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 8 × 6″ (20 × 14 cm)

Cynanchum louiseae (black swallowort, Louise’s swallow-wort, black swallow-wort, black dog-strangling vine)

10/2/2010 · Wiccopee, NY · ≈ 11 × 7″ (27 × 18 cm)

Range:

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