Noteworthy Collections: MISSISSIPPI

Abstract

Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb. (CELASTRACEAE)— Tishomongo County: Tishomingo, Crow’s Neck Environmental Education Center, on a dirt road headed toward a point of land near the shore of Bay Spring Lake; 34u35.459N, 88u17.709W (NAD27); 2 Nov. 2000, Bryan A. Connolly 271(CONN). Significance. Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), a native of eastern Asia, is thoroughly established in the Northeast, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic States (Gleason and Cronquist 1991) with sporadic outlying populations in the southern United States (United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service 2007). Here we report the first record of Oriental bittersweet in Mississippi. This species is a climbing woody vine that is highly invasive and is known to overtop shrubs and girdle trees (Lutz 1943, McNab and Meeker 1987). The native species, American bittersweet (C. scandens L.), is known from Mississippi but is rare. Although the specimen above was vegetative it was distinguished from the native species by its much more orbicular leaves and aggressive growth. Additionally, this collection was from a disturbed area where weedy taxa often establish and it cooccurred with autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb.), another invasive species. Invasive species can be controlled more easily when populations are small and removed early. Monitoring and control at this early stage may be the key in preventing Oriental bittersweet from becoming a problematic weed in Mississippi. Thank you to Charles T. Bryson and an anonymous reviewer for comments on the manuscript, and to Michelle Reed for bringing to our attention that Oriental bittersweet was previously unknown in Mississippi.