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  4. Bryonia cretica subsp. dioica

Bryonia cretica subsp. dioica

Sussex, England.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 19/06/2013, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Makino Scenic Reserve, Rangitikei River. Jan 1998.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Bryonia cretica subsp. dioica, England.<br>Photographer: John Smith-Dodsworth, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Bryonia cretica subsp. dioica, England.<br>Photographer: John Smith-Dodsworth, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Male flowers, Edinburgh, Scotland.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 22/07/2013, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Male flower, Edinburgh, Scotland.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 22/07/2013, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
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Skull and crossbones

Poisonous plant

Common name

white bryony

Family

Cucurbitaceae

Authority

Bryonia cretica subsp. dioica (Jacq.) Tutin

Flora category

Vascular – Exotic

Structural class

Lianes & Related Trailing Plants - Dicotyledons

Habitat

Terrestrial. Disturbed and open forest and shrubland, stream edges

Features

Soft, summer-green, cucumber-like vine to 6 m tall, dying back in autumn to perennial tuber. Tubers brittle, branching, huge; branches 45-160 x 100- 800 cm, oriented vertical to horizontal. Stems arise from end of tuber, soft; with slender, coiling tendrils. Leaves to 15 x 15 cm, thin, 5-lobed, middle lobe longest. Flowers tubular, to 2 cm long, whitish with green stripes. Fruit round, 4-8 mm diam, smooth skinned, succulent, yellow turning red, many-seeded, 5-8 clustered.

Similar taxa

Sicyos australis (mawhai) (indigenous) has prickly 1-seeded fruits. Tamus communis (black Bryony) is also similar.

Flowering

December, January, February

Flower colours

Green, White

Fruiting

Jan-march

Year naturalised

1991

Origin

Eurasia/Mediterranean

Etymology

dioica: Two plants

Reason For Introduction
Ornamental

Life Cycle Comments
Perennial.

Reproduction
Spreads by seeds and vegetatively by tuber fragments.

Seed
Many seeds contained within each fruit.

Dispersal
Tuber fragments via water, soil disturbance, garden refuse. Seed dispersed by birds.

Tolerances
Tolerates wet to seasonal drought, warm to cool, variety of soils, semi shade. Poisonous so not browsed.

References

View MAF - BNZ Species page

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