Berchemia scandens

{{Speciesbox

|image = Berchemia scandens photo.jpg

|genus = Berchemia

|species = scandens

|authority = (Hill) K. Koch{{cite web|title=Berchemia scandens (Hill) K.Koch|url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-2674762|website=www.theplantlist.org|publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden|access-date=4 December 2016}}

}}

Berchemia scandens, commonly called supplejack, Alabama supplejack, Carolina supplejack, and American rattan,{{Cite web |date=2024-08-08 |title=Berchemia scandens (Supplejack) - Flora of the Southeastern United States |url=https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu/main.php?pg=show-taxon-detail.php&lsid=urn:lsid:ncbg.unc.edu:taxon:%7B4A7228F3-B484-4AC3-A83B-2F739477E9DA%7D |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240808180912/https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu/main.php?pg=show-taxon-detail.php&lsid=urn:lsid:ncbg.unc.edu:taxon:%7B4A7228F3-B484-4AC3-A83B-2F739477E9DA%7D |archive-date=2024-08-08 |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=Flora of the Southeastern United States}}{{Cite web |date=2024-08-08 |title=USDA Plants Database - Berchemia scandens |url=https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=besc |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240808182955/https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=besc |archive-date=2024-08-08 |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=USDA Plants Database}} is a woody vine in the buckthorn family native to the southeastern United States.{{BONAP|ref|genus=Berchemia|species=scandens|accessdate=9 January 2017}} It is found in a wide variety of habitats, including swamps, bottomlands, streambanks, moist to dry upland forests, woodlands, glades, and prairies over calcareous rock or sediment.

It is a woody vine, with older stems reaching 18 cm in diameter. The strong stems of the plant are often used for wickerwork.{{cite web|title=Berchemia scandens|url=http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=286319&isprofile=0&|website=www.missouribotanicalgarden.org|publisher=Missouri Botanical Garden|access-date=4 December 2016}}

Traditional medicinal uses

The Houma people used a decoction of the aerial parts of the vine for impotency. Other Native Americans used the plant as a blood purifier and the ashes of the vine to treat coughs.{{cite book |last=Moerman |first=Daniel |date=2009 |title=Native American Medicinal Plants: An Ethnobotanical Dictionary |publisher=Timber Press }}

References

scandens

Category:Flora of the Southeastern United States

Category:Flora of the Southern United States

Category:Flora without expected TNC conservation status