# plant id help, please...growing wild in South Florida



## aspidites73 (Oct 2, 2012)

This was found growing up a tree in my backyard. Looks pretty neat, but I'm unsure what it is. It has a rather "woody" stem, with alternating clumps of leaves on a single offshoot. The leaves have serrated edges, smooth texture, a single mid vein and a "scale" patterned veination on the rest of the leaf. The leaves themselves are between 1 and 1.5 inches. It is a single stemmed climber as I found it.


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## easternversant (Sep 4, 2012)

Virginia creeper, no? Parthenocissus quincefolia I believe, undergrad botany for the win!


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## aspidites73 (Oct 2, 2012)

Support, yet again, for a good education! Thanks, Easternversant ~Western incline

Edit: although, it is Parthenocissus quinquefolia. 



easternversant said:


> Virginia creeper, no? Parthenocissus quincefolia I believe, undergrad botany for the win!


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## aspidites73 (Oct 2, 2012)

I now know the Virginia creeper is nearly indistinguishable from it's close relative, Parthenocissus vitacea, or false virginia creeper. The latter does not possess specialized "sticky pads" on the tendrils. Due to locale data and observation, I concur. Google, for the Tie!


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## Spaff (Jan 8, 2011)

easternversant said:


> Virginia creeper, no? Parthenocissus quincefolia I believe, undergrad botany for the win!


It's funny how many people in undergrad botany or other outdoor taxonomies still mistake this for poison ivy.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

It looks NOTHING like poison ivy


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## Spaff (Jan 8, 2011)

frogparty said:


> It looks NOTHING like poison ivy


I know, but you should see the little dance people do when walking through a patch of this thinking they're going through poison ivy.


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## easternversant (Sep 4, 2012)

Spaff said:


> It's funny how many people in undergrad botany or other outdoor taxonomies still mistake this for poison ivy.


Or "biologists." I'll be the first to tell you that I know nothing about plants, but I had an employee at a state park in Florida tell me to "watch out for poison ivy and virginia creeper out there, they are real bad here!" Because apparently he thought it is also toxic....


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## James (May 14, 2013)

Spaff said:


> I know, but you should see the little dance people do when walking through a patch of this thinking they're going through poison ivy.





frogparty said:


> It looks NOTHING like poison ivy


Haha the only resemblance they share is that they are an ivy. 


You don't plan on putting that in your tank right? That stuff grows like crazy. I mean a biotope would be nice with that but I would not use it otherwise.


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## aspidites73 (Oct 2, 2012)

No, I'm simply not yet up on my pants and was curious. I've always enjoyed many parts of nature. It has only been recent that I added plants to that list. A good field guide is my next move!



James said:


> You don't plan on putting that in your tank right? That stuff grows like crazy. I mean a biotope would be nice with that but I would not use it otherwise.


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