Cryptostegia madagascariensis

Common Name: rubber vine

Family: Apocynaceae

Common Synonyms: none

USDA Hardiness Zone: 10a-11

Growth Habit: Vine

Origin: Madagascar

FISC Category: 2

FDACS Listed Noxious Weed: No

Introduction Date: pre-1904

IFAS Assessment:

  • North: OK
  • Central: OK
  • South: OK
Cryptostegia madagascariensis
Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental, Bugwood.org

Description

Woody vine or vining shrub with milky sap, stem dotted with lenticels. Leaves opposite, ovate, dark glossy green to 9 cm long and 5 cm wide with entire margins and round bases. Showy flowers to 4 cm long and 6 cm wide in terminal clusters of 1-4, pale purple to reddish purple, funnel shaped. Fruit a woody angled brown pod to 8 cm long, which splits at maturity to expose seeds with white silky hairs.

Habitat

Mangrove swamp, hammock, shell mound, rockland hammock

Comments

Seeds are wind and water dispersed.

Map of species distribution

Control Methods

  • Manual: Mechanical: Hand pull small plants and bag and remove fruits.
  • Chemical: Foliar (most effective for small individuals, chemical not provided, Starr et al.), cut-stem (triclopyr ester (concentration not found), most effective treatment, immediately spray stem after cut (Starr et al. 2003).
  • Biological: NA

Control Notes

Note: The milky sap is toxic and therefore hand-pulling should be done carefully (Starr et al.)

References

Dave's Garden. 2014. PlantFiles: Madagascar Rubbervine, Cryptostegia madagascariensis. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/55532/. Accessed on June 20, 2014.

Langeland, K.A., H.M. Cherry, C.M. McCormick, K.C. Burks. 2008. Identification and Biology of Non-Native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas-Second Edition. IFAS Publication SP 257. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.

Starr, F., K. Starr and L. Loope. 2003. Cryptostegia spp. Rubber vine, Ascepiadaceae. United States Geological Survey - Biological Resources Division, Haleakala Field Station, Maui, Hawaii.

Wunderlin, R. P., and B. F. Hansen. 2008. Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/).[S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), Florida Center for Community Design and Research.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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