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ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
Dolichandra unguis-cati
Catclawvine
Photographer: Forest & Kim Starr
Source: Plants of Hawaii (USGS)
Description
High-climbing woody vine, with stems to 6 cm (2.4 in) in diameter and roots becoming elongate-tuberous with age. Branches and runners with adventitious aerial roots. Leaves opposite, compound, with 2 leaflets and a terminal 3- forked tendril; tips of tendril forks stiffly hooked, clawlike. Leaflets mostly 3-7 cm (1-3 in) long, oval to lance shaped, with margins entire. NOTE: However, young seedlings have simple leaves with slightly toothed margins. Flowers showy, trumpet shaped, to 7 cm (3 in) long and 10 cm (4 in) across, solitary or in few-flowered clusters at leaf axils; petals joined into yellow floral tube with orange lines in the throat. Fruit a linear, flat capsule, to 50 cm (20 in) long, with oblong, winged seeds.
Photographer: Brisbane City Council - https://weeds.brisbane.qld.gov.au/weeds/cats-claw-creeper
The compound leaves with the third (terminal) leaflet adapted as a tendril with the "claw" that gives the plant its name.
Photographer: Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental, Bugwood.org
Fruit.
