Trees and Shrubs Online logo

Parthenocissus semicordata (Wall.) Planch.

TSO logo

Sponsor this page

For information about how you could sponsor this page, see How You Can Help

Credits

New article for Trees and Shrubs Online.

Recommended citation
'Parthenocissus semicordata' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/parthenocissus/parthenocissus-semicordata/). Accessed 2026-06-09.

Family

  • Vitaceae

Genus

Synonyms

  • Vitis semicordata Wall.
  • Vitis himalayana var. semicordata (Wall.) M.A.Lawson

Glossary

References

There are no active references in this article.

Credits

New article for Trees and Shrubs Online.

Recommended citation
'Parthenocissus semicordata' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/parthenocissus/parthenocissus-semicordata/). Accessed 2026-06-09.

Parthenocissus semicordata

Richly textured leaves on Parthenocissus semicordata at Logan Botanic Garden, SW Scotland (19892561*G, from KEKE 1164 wild collected in Nepal and labelled P. himalayana when seen on 29 May 2025). Image Tom Christian.

Editorial Note

While noting them to be scarcely separable at species level (perhaps only altitudinally distinct forms), Bean distinguished Parthenocissus semicordata (smaller leaves and bristly young shoots and leaves abaxially) from Parthenocissus himalayana. POWO (9/5/2025) synonymises P. himalayana with the typical variety of P. semicordata, but other authorities – e.g. Grierson & Long in the Flora of Bhutan (1991) – refer it to var. roylei (Parker) Raizada & Saxena (glabrous stems, petioles and cymes). On the basis of the glabrous stems, Bean’s description appears to accord with var. roylei.

Parthenocissus semicordata

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

Parthenocissus semicordata

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

Parthenocissus semicordata

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

var. roylei

Synonyms
Ampelopsis himalayana Royle
Parthenocissus himalayana (Royle) Planch.

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.

Contact the editors at