Antigonon leptopus (Coral vine)

This perennial vine is native to the coastal plains of Mexico. It is present in many parts of central America. An attractive vine, it has been introduced into many other tropical regions—the southeastern US, California, the West Indies, and parts of South America. It is invasive in many habitats, including Florida.

Plants: Coral vine grows quickly, reaching over 23′ (7 m) in length, clambering over other plants with tendrils. It can quickly smother other plants.

Leaves: Coarse, cordate (heart-shaped) or triangular, ⅞–3″ (2.5–7.5 cm) long, with wavy edges. Coral vine is evergreen in warmer climes, and deciduous in colder climes.

Flowers: Attractive panicles of flowers are pink, bright pink, or white, supported by thin pedicels. They appear from spring to fall.

Edibility: Seeds and tubers are edible. Conical, shiny, 3-angled achenes are ¼–⅜ ⨉ ⅛–¼″ (8–12 ⨉ 4–7 mm).

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin)
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Caryophyllidae	Cacti, many other succulents, carnivorous plants, and leadworts
Order	Caryophyllales	Includes cacti, carnations, amaranths, ice plants, and many carnivorous plants
Family	Polygonaceae	Knotweed or smartweed family
Genus	Antigonon	Derived from Greek anti, “in place of,” and polygonum, “member of the Knotweed family.” (Poly means “many,” and gonu means “joint.”)
Species	leptopus	From Greek leptos, “thin, slender, or small,” and pous, “foot,” a reference to slender pedicels

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