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Native Plant Trust: Go Botany Discover thousands of New England plants

Fallopia cristata — crested bindweed

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Facts

Crested bindweed is a native vine of woodlands, ridges, balds and rocky slopes in southern New England and Vermont. It is a species with a complex and confusing taxonomic history, but its fruits and flowers are smaller than those of other, closely related species.

Habitat

Cliffs, balds, or ledges, ridges or ledges, talus and rocky slopes, woodlands

New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Characteristics

Habitat
terrestrial
New England state
  • Connecticut
  • Massachusetts
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
Flower petal color
  • green to brown
  • pink to red
  • white
Leaf type
the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
Leaf arrangement
alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
Leaf blade edges
the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
Flower symmetry
there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
Number of sepals, petals or tepals
there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
Fusion of sepals and petals
the petals or the sepals are fused into a cup or tube
Stamen number
8
Fruit type (general)
the fruit is dry but does not split open when ripe
Fruit length
2.1–2.7 mm
Show all characteristics

  • Clonal plantlets

    Bulbils
    the plant does not appear to have bulbils
    Bulblets replace flowers
    there are no bulblets where the flowers are located

  • Flowers

    Anther opening
    the anthers have narrow slits or furrows that run lengthwise along the anthers
    Anther spurs
    the anthers do not have spurs on them
    Calyx growth after flowering
    the calyx grows to cover or partially cover the fruit
    Calyx symmetry
    there are two or more ways to evenly divide the calyx (the calyx is radially symmetrical)
    Carpels fused
    the carpels are fused to one another
    Corolla palate
    no
    Corona lobe length
    0 mm
    Epicalyx
    the flower does not have an epicalyx
    Epicalyx number of parts
    0
    Filament surface
    the filament is smooth, with no hairs or scales
    Flower description
    the flower has a superior ovary, and lacks a hypanthium
    Flower petal color
    • green to brown
    • pink to red
    • white
    Flower reproductive parts
    the flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
    Flower symmetry
    there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
    Flowers sunken into stem
    no
    Form of style
    • the flower has two or more completely separate styles
    • the style is unbranched, but it has two or more narrow appendages that are part of the stigma
    Fused stamen clusters
    NA
    Fusion of sepals and petals
    the petals or the sepals are fused into a cup or tube
    Horns in hoods (Asclepias)
    NA
    Hypanthium
    • the flower does not have a hypanthium
    • the flower has a hypanthium
    Inflorescence length
    10–280 mm
    Inflorescence one-sided
    the flowers are arrayed in a spiral around the inflorescence axis or branches, or occur singly, or in several ranks
    Inner tepals (Rumex)
    NA
    Nectar spur
    the flower has no nectar spurs
    Number of pistils
    1
    Number of sepals, petals or tepals
    there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
    Number of styles
    3
    Ovary position
    the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
    Petal and sepal arrangement
    the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures
    Petal and sepal colors
    • green to brown
    • pink to red
    • white
    Petal appearance
    the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)
    Petal folds or pleats
    the petals of the flower do not have folds or plaits
    Petal hairs (Viola)
    NA
    Petal number
    2
    Petal tips (Cuscuta)
    NA
    Reproductive system
    all the flowers have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)
    Scales inside corolla
    no
    Sepal and petal color
    the petals and sepals are similar
    Sepal appearance
    the sepals resemble petals in color and texture
    Sepal appendages
    the sepals do not have appendages on them
    Sepal appendages (Oenothera)
    NA
    Sepal color
    • green to brown
    • pink to red
    • white
    Sepal length
    5–9 mm
    Sepal number
    3
    Sepals fused only to sepals
    the sepals are fused to each other (not other flower parts), at least near their bases
    Stamen attachment
    the stamens are not attached to the petals or tepals
    Stamen number
    8
    Stamen position relative to petals
    NA
    Stamens fused
    the stamens are not attached to one another
    Stigma position
    the stigmas are positioned at the tip of the style
    Style petal-like
    the styles are not petal-like
    Umbel flower reproductive parts
    NA
    Upper lip of bilabiate corolla
    NA

  • Fruits or seeds

    Achene relative orientation
    the achenes are perpendicular to the plane of the perianth (vertical)
    Achene shape
    • the achenes are another shape in outline
    • the achenes are oval in outline
    Achene surface (Polygonum)
    NA
    Achene type
    the fruit is an achene (dry, indehiscent, and usually one-seeded)
    Berry color
    NA
    Capsule color (Viola)
    NA
    Capsule ribs
    NA
    Capsule splitting
    NA
    Fruit (pyxis) dehiscence
    NA
    Fruit features (Brassicaceae)
    NA
    Fruit length
    2.1–2.7 mm
    Fruit locules
    one
    Fruit shape
    the fruit is another shape than those described
    Fruit type (general)
    the fruit is dry but does not split open when ripe
    Fruit type (specific)
    the fruit is an achene (dry, usually one-seeded, does not separate or split open at maturity)
    Legumes (Fabaceae)
    NA
    Mericarp length
    0 mm
    Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)
    NA
    Other markings on berry
    NA
    Ovary stipe
    the ovary or fruit does not have a stipe
    Placenta arrangement
    the plant has basal placentation, where one or a few ovules develop at the base of a simple or compound ovary
    Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)
    NA
    Schizocarpic fruit compression
    NA
    Schizocarpic fruit segments
    0
    Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)
    NA
    Wings on fruit
    the fruit does not have wings on it
    prickles on fruits
    the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures

  • Glands or sap

    Glands on leaf blade
    the leaf blades do not have glandular dots or scales
    Sap
    the sap is clear and watery
    Sap color
    the sap is clear

  • Growth form

    Growth form
    the plant is a vine (it cannot support its own weight)
    Lifespan
    the plant lives more than two years
    Parasitism
    the plant is not parasitic
    Plant color
    the leaves or young stems of the plant are green
    Plants darken when dry
    no
    Spines on plant
    the plant has no spines

  • Leaves

    Bracteole number (Apiaceae)
    0
    Bracts in plantain (Plantago)
    NA
    Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)
    0 mm
    Final leaf segment length to width ratio (compound lvs only)
    0
    Hairs on underside of leaf
    the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or it has very few hairs
    Hairs on upper side of leaf
    the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or it has very few hairs
    Leaf arrangement
    alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
    Leaf blade base
    the leaf has a distinct leaf stalk (petiole)
    Leaf blade base shape
    the base of the leaf blade is cordate (heart-shaped, has rounded lobes at the base)
    Leaf blade edges
    the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
    Leaf blade length
    20–140 mm
    Leaf blade shape
    • the leaf blade is cordate (heart-shaped with backward-facing rounded lobes), or sagittate (arrow-shaped with backward-facing pointed lobes)
    • the leaf blade is oblong (rectangular but with rounded ends)
    • the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
    Leaf blade surface colors
    the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color
    Leaf blade width
    20–70 mm
    Leaf duration
    the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)
    Leaf form
    the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture
    Leaf spines
    there are no spines on the leaf edges
    Leaf stalk
    the leaves have leaf stalks
    Leaf stalk attachment to leaf
    the petiole attaches at the basal margin of the leaf blade
    Leaf stalk base
    the petiole base clasps the stem or sheathes the stem
    Leaf teeth and lobes
    • the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
    • the leaf blade margin is wavy, but does not have teeth
    Leaf type
    the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
    Leaf variation
    the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
    Leaflet number
    0
    Leaves per node
    there is one leaf per node along the stem
    Pinnately compound leaf type
    NA
    Specific leaf type
    the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
    Stipels
    NA
    Stipule features
    • glabrous on the surface
    • the stipules are straight (or somewhat slanted) across the top
    • the stipules do not have tiny hairs (cilia) at their tips
    Stipule shape
    the stipules are tubular (cylindrical and hollow)
    Stipules
    the plant has stipules

  • Place

    Habitat
    terrestrial
    New England state
    • Connecticut
    • Massachusetts
    • Rhode Island
    • Vermont
    Specific habitat
    • cliffs, balds, or ledges
    • ridges or ledges
    • talus or rocky slopes
    • woodlands

  • Scent

    Plant odor
    the plant does not have much of a smell

  • Stem, shoot, branch

    Branched tendrils
    NA
    Flowering stem cross-section
    • the flowering stem has strong or sharp angles, but is not square
    • the flowering stem is circular, or with lots of small angles so that it is roughly circular
    • the flowering stem is roughly square
    Hair between stem nodes
    the stem has no hairs between the nodes
    Hairs between stem nodes
    the stem has no hairs between the nodes
    Hooked hairs on stem between nodes
    no
    Leaves on stem
    there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
    Plant height
    100–500 cm
    Stem roughness between nodes
    the stem feels rough due to hairs or prickles
    Tendril origin
    NA
    Tendrils
    the plant does not have tendrils

Wetland status

Not classified

In New England

Distribution

Connecticut
present
Maine
absent
Massachusetts
present
New Hampshire
absent
Rhode Island
present
Vermont
present

Conservation status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.

Massachusetts
widespread (S-rank: S5)

From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key

4.  Fallopia cristata (Engelm. & Gray) Holub N

crested bindweed. Bilderdykia cristata (Engelm. & Gray) Greene; B. scandens (L.) Greene 
var. cristata (Engelm. & Gray) C.F. Reed; Polygonum cristatum Engelm. & Gray; P. scandens L. var. cristatum (Engelm. & Gray) Gleason; Reynoutria scandens (L.) Shinners var. cristata (Engelm. & Gray) Shinners; Tiniaria cristata (Engelm. & Gray) Small • CT, MA, RI, VT. Woodlands, ridges, balds, rocky slopes. Some older reports of Fallopia dumetorum (e.g., Graves et al. 
1910) actually refer to F. cristata. Freeman and Hinds (2005) chose to subsume F. cristata in 
 F. scandens due to apparent intergrading morphology. Review of specimens shows that 
these two species are distinct. Work by Kim et al. (2000) supports this stance. The main problem is the presence of F. dumetorum, which sits in an intermediate position between these two species in regard to size of reproductive structures. Though it is true that F. cristata overlaps slightly with F. dumetorum and F. dumetorum overlaps slightly with F. scandens, there is no morphological overlap between F. cristata and F. scandens (i.e., confusion with 
 F. dumetorum may be the cause for reporting morphological overlap). Therefore, F. cristata is recognized here as a native element of vining Fallopia with a narrower ecological amplitude than F. scandens.

Native to North America?

Yes

Sometimes confused with

Fallopia dumetorum:
fruiting tepals mostly 4.2-6.5 mm long, with entire to weakly undulate and plane wings, the wings cream to pale brown or tinged with red, well-developed even near the apex and 1–3 mm wide or rarely poorly developed, and achenes mostly 2.8–3.5 mm long (vs. F. cristata, with fruiting tepals 3.4–5.1 mm long, with crenate or irregularly jagged and often crisped wings, the wings green to green-white, relatively poorly developed especially near the apex and only 0.25–1 mm wide, and achenes 2.4–2.9 mm long).
Fallopia scandens:
fruiting tepals mostly 6.5-9.4 mm long, with entire to weakly undulate and plane wings, the wings cream to pale brown or tinged with red, well-developed even near the apex and 1–3 mm wide, and achenes mostly 3.7-5.1 mm long (vs. F. cristata, with fruiting tepals 3.4–5.1 mm long, with crenate or irregularly jagged and often crisped wings, the wings green to green-white, relatively poorly developed especially near the apex and only 0.25–1 mm wide, and achenes 2.4–2.9 mm long).

Synonyms

  • Bilderdykia cristata (Engelm. & Gray) Greene
  • Bilderdykia scandens (L.) Greene var. cristata (Engelm. & Gray) C.F. Reed
  • Polygonum cristatum Engelm. & Gray
  • Polygonum scandens L. var. cristatum (Engelm. & Gray) Gleason
  • Reynoutria scandens (L.) Shinners var. cristata (Engelm. & Gray) Shinners
  • Tiniaria cristata (Engelm. & Gray) Small

Family

Polygonaceae

Genus

Fallopia