Celastraceae

Deciduous woody, strangling vines; brown bark is ridged or plated. Small branches with long ridges extending down from leaf scars. Winter buds have three or more overlapping scales.

Leaves alternate, rounded to broadly oval, 5-10 cm long, hairless with rounded teeth; tip rounded or pointed. Leaves green on upper side; paler beneath. Fall colour yellow.

Flowers tiny, starlike, 2-7 in cymes at leaf axils; petals 5, green to yellowish; sepals 5, green; flower stalks slender, smooth. Pollen (male) and seed (female) structures on separate plants. Pollen-producing flowers 5 stamens with creamy white anthers; seed-producing flowers stout style with 3 lobed stigma. Fruit a capsule; yellow 3-parted casing splits open revealing showy bright red/orange “berry”. Spreads by seed and rhizomes.

Native to Asia; highly invasive, strangles or pulls down trees. All parts toxic.