Celastrus orbiculatus

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-004418",
  "term": "Celastrus orbiculatus",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "Oriental bittersweet is a deciduous woody perennial plant which grows as a climbing vine and a trailing shrub. Stems of older plants 4 inches in diameter have been reported. The leaves are alternate, glossy, nearly as wide as they are long (round), with finely toothed margins. There are separate female (fruiting) and male (non-fruiting) plants. Female plants produce clusters of small greenish flowers in axillary clusters (from most leaf axils), and each plant can produce large numbers of fruits and seeds. The fruits are three-valved, yellow, globular capsules that at maturity split open to reveal three red-orange, fleshy arils each containing one or two seeds. The abundance of showy fruits have made Oriental bittersweet extremely popular for use in floral arrangements.",
  "references": [
    "National Park Service Plant Conservation Alliance at http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/ceor1.htm"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/celastrus-orbiculatus/"
}