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Parthenocissus himalayana (Royle) Planch.

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Credits

Article from Bean's Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles

Recommended citation
'Parthenocissus himalayana' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/parthenocissus/parthenocissus-himalayana/). Accessed 2023-09-28.

Synonyms

  • Ampelopsis himalayana Royle

Glossary

apex
(pl. apices) Tip. apical At the apex.
glabrous
Lacking hairs smooth. glabrescent Becoming hairless.
glaucous
Grey-blue often from superficial layer of wax (bloom).
globose
globularSpherical or globe-shaped.
leaflet
Leaf-like segment of a compound leaf.
midrib
midveinCentral and principal vein in a leaf.
ovate
Egg-shaped; broadest towards the stem.

References

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Credits

Article from Bean's Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles

Recommended citation
'Parthenocissus himalayana' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/parthenocissus/parthenocissus-himalayana/). Accessed 2023-09-28.

Parthenocissus himalayana

Trifoliate leaves on Parthenocissus himalayana, with the lateral leaflets very oblique (Arboretum Wespelaar, Belgium – 9 September 2020). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.

A vigorous deciduous climber, with semi-woody, glabrous young stems; the tendrils terminated by clinging disks. Leaves composed of three leaflets, each shortly stalked and borne at the end of a slender, common stalk 2 to 5 in. long. Central leaflet ovate, oval, or obovate; the side ones very obliquely ovate (two or three times as much blade on one side of the midrib as on the other), and often somewhat heart-shaped at the base on one side only. They are all abruptly tapered at the apex, toothed, dark green and glabrous above, paler, slightly glaucous beneath, with a few short hairs on the midrib only; 2 to 6 in. long, 11⁄4 to 4 in. wide. Fruits globose, 1⁄4 in. wide, in loose clusters several times forked.

Native of the Himalaya up to 11,000 ft. It is a rather tender species, and only thrives well on a wall. Its leaves change to rich red in autumn.

Parthenocissus himalayana

Foliage on Parthenocissus himalayana KEKE 1187, from a plant at Arboretum Wespelaar, Belgium (9 September 2020). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.

Parthenocissus himalayana

Pubescence on leaflet lower surface of Parthenocissus himalayana (Arboretum Wespelaar, Belgium – 9 September 2020). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.

P semicordata (Wall.) Planch.

Synonyms
Vitis semicordata Wall.
V. himalayana var. semicordata (Wall.) M. A. Lawson

This is perhaps not specifically distinct from P. himalayana, but it has smaller leaves and its young shoots and the undersurface of the leaves are bristly. It is perhaps a form from higher altitudes.

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