Celastrus scandens
Celastraceae
Description:
Pollen grains monads, size class small to medium, polar axis 20-25 μm, equatorial axis 18-23 μm, isopolar, shape spheroidal to slightly flattened, equatorial outline circular aperture type tricolporate, furrows narrow, ornamentation reticulate, semi-tectate. Viscin absent.
Celastrus scandens pollen is generally yellow at dehiscence, which occurs almost as soon as the flowers open, whereas C. orbiculatus pollen is whiter and dehisces approximately 24 hours after the flowers open (Pooler et al. 2001).
Pollination Biology:
Hymenoptera appear to be the major pollinators (Brizcky, 2006). In Illinois the flowers attract long tongued Megachilidae, short tongued Halictidae, Colletidae, Andrenidae, and wasps (Vestidae). Ants and beetles also visit the flower, perhaps to feed on pollen.
Tropicos Pollen Voucher Specimen
Yatskievych 88-13
Links:
Illinois Wildflowers - Celastrus scandens , (Hilty 2010)
Insect Visitors of Illinois Wildflowers, (Hilty 2010)
USDA Plants – Celastrus scandens
References:
Bogler, D.J. 2006. Celastraceae. In: G. Yatskievych (Ed.), Steyermark's Flora of Missouri, Volume 2, p. 850-858. Missouri Department of Conservation and Missouri Botanical Garden.
Brizicky G.K. 1964. The genera of Celastrales in the southeastern United States. J. Arnold Arbor. 45:206-234.
Dreyer, G.D., L.M. Baird and C. Fickler. 1987. Celastrus scandens and Celastrus orbiculatus: Comparisons of Reproductive Potential between a Native and an Introduced Woody Vine. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club114: 260-264.
Duncan, W.H. 1969. Celastrus (Celastraceae) in the southeastern United States. Sida 3:309-310.
Hilty, J. Editor. 2010. Insect Visitors of Illinois Wildflowers. World Wide Web electronic publication. flowervisitors.info, version (04/2010).
Hou, D. 1955. A revision of the genus Celastrus. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 42:215-302
Leicht-Young, S.L., N.B. Pavlovic, R. Grundel, and K.J. Frohnapple. 2007. Distinguishing native (Celastrus scandens L.) and invasive (C. orbiculatus Thumb.) Bittersweet species using morphological characteristics. Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society134: 441-450.
Pooler, M.R., R.L.. Dix, and J. Feely. 2002. Interspecific hybridization between the native bittersweet, Celatrus scandens, and the intoduced invasive species, C. orbiculatus. Southeastern Naturalist 1(1):69-76. 2002
Steward, A. M., S. E. Clemants, and G. Moore. 2003. The concurrent decline of the native Celastrus scandens and spread of the non-native Celastrus orbiculatus in the New York City metropolitan area. J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 130: 143-146.