Dolichandra unguis-cati


Dolichandra unguis-cati, commonly known as cats claw creeper, funnel creeper, or cat's claw trumpet, is a rapidly growing climbing vine belonging to the family Bignoniaceae.

Description

Dolichandra unguis-cati has semipersistent foliage. Stems are woody and can reach. Thin and small aerial roots are used for climbing. Leaves are dark green, opposite and bifoliate. Leaflets have a length of. The plant produces flowers during the wet season. Flowers are yellow, have a diameter of and can grow alone or in groups of two or three. Long primary roots extend beneath the soil surface, producing large tubers long. Fruits are brown flattened capsules from long. Each capsule contains 100 to 200 seeds.

Distribution and habitat

This plant is native to the tropical dry forest of Central America, South America and the Caribbean. In these natural areas it occurs from sea level to over above sea level and where the rainfall is per year. It can become invasive and it is present worldwide. It can affect all layers of plants of forest ecosystems by rapidly spreading both vertically and horizontally.