Macfadyena unguis-cati
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Taxon |
Family |
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Macfadyena unguis-cati (L.) A.H. Gentry |
Bignoniaceae |
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| The plant climbing a tree in Hawaii Credit: Forest & Kim Starr, USGS |
Common names: Cat's claw climber, cat's claw creeper, cat's claw vine
Synonyms: Bignonia tweedieana Lindl., Bignonia unguis-cati L., Batocydia unguis Mart., Bignonia acutistipula Schltdl., Bignonia californica Brandegee, Bignonia dasyonyx S.F.Blake, Bignonia exoleta Vell., Bignonia gracilis Lodd., Bignonia inflata Griseb., Bignonia lanuginosa Hemsl., Bignonia pseudounguis Desf., Bignonia unguis L., Doxantha acutistipula (Schltdl.)Miers, Doxantha adunca Miers, Doxantha dasyonyx (S.F.Blake)S.F.Blake, Doxantha exoleta (Vell.)Miers, Doxantha unguis Miers, Doxantha unguis-cati (L.)Miers ex Rehder
Life form: Woody climber
Biology/Ecology:
Dispersal: Seeds are 2-4 cm in length and have membranous wings. Dispersed by wind and water. Disperses vegetatively by tuberous roots. Distributed by humans for ornamental purposes.
Reproduction: Produces yellow trumpet shaped flowers. Capsules are up to 50 cm long and usually contain between 100 and 200 oblong winged seeds. Capsules mature about six months after flowering.
Herbivores: No information available.
Resistant stages: Root tubers form in plants second year and grow to 20 to 40 cm in length.
Habitat:
Native habitat: Closed forests
Habitat occupied in invaded range: Sub-tropical and tropical rainforests and riparian zones.
Habitat requirements:
| Altitude | No information available. |
| Light | Full sun to partial shade. |
| Temperature | Frost tolerant. |
| Annual rainfall | No information available. |
| Soil | Tolerates most soil types, but prefers fertile and well drained soils of pH 6.1 to 7.8. |
Distribution:
Native to Central America and Caribbean, tropical South America
Introduced range: Invasive in Australia, southeastern USA, southern Africa. Introduced but not considered invasive in Tanzania, tropical parts of Asia, Hawaii, Cape Verde, South Atlantic Islands, Mascarenes.
Impacts:
Ecosystem: Forms thick carpet on forest floor and climbs over canopies, blocking light for any vegetation below. Produces long runners which cling on to any objects using adventitious roots and clawed tendrils. The shading and weight of the vine can kill trees. The plant has a high seed production so can spread fast.
Health, social and economic: No information available.
Management:
Mechanical: Small plants can be dug out, but more established plants should be treated with an appropriate herbicide, as the roots will easily break off and regenerate. Older plants can sometimes be killed simply by cutting the stems.
Chemical: Glyphosate herbicides can be applied to cut ends, although tubers may break off and regrow.
Biological: Charidotis auroguttata (Coleoptera) appears to be promising; it has recently been introduced in South Africa and has been suggested for introduction in Australia.
References:
Williams, H.E., 2002. Life History and Laboratory Host Range of Charidotis auroguttata (Boheman) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), the First Natural Enemy Released Against Macfadyena unguis-cati (L.) Gentry (Bignoniaceae) in South Africa. The Coleopterists Bulletin: Vol. 56, No. 2 pp. 299-307
Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER), 2005. Available from http://www.hear.org/pier/species/macfadyena_unguis-cati.htm (Accessed August 2006).
Francis, J.K. Macfadyena unguis-cati Fact Sheet. Available from http://users.tpg.com.au/users/frizzle/weedfacts/catsclawfact.htm (Accessed August 2006).
Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants, University of Florida. Macfadyena unguis-cati. Available from http://aquat1.ifas.ufl.edu/macung.pdf (Accessed August 2006).
Institute for Systematic Biology, 2006. Macfadyena unguis-cati. Available from http://www.plantatlas.usf.edu/synonyms.asp?plantID=1823 (Accessed August 2006).
Last updated October 2006
