Berchemia scandens
Species of flowering plant
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Berchemia scandens, commonly called supplejack, Alabama supplejack, Carolina supplejack, and American rattan,[2][3] is a woody vine in the buckthorn family native to the southeastern United States.[4] It is found in a wide variety of habitats, including swamps, bottomlands, streambanks, moist to dry upland forests, woodlands, glades, and prairies over calcareous rock or sediment.[2]
| Berchemia scandens | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Rhamnaceae |
| Genus: | Berchemia |
| Species: | B. scandens |
| Binomial name | |
| Berchemia scandens (Hill) K. Koch[1] | |
It is a woody vine, with older stems reaching 18 cm in diameter.[2] The strong stems of the plant are often used for wickerwork.[5]
Traditional medicinal uses
The Houma people used a decoction of the aerial parts of the vine for impotency. Other Native Americans used the plant as a blood purifier and the ashes of the vine to treat coughs.[6]