Weed Information: Araujia sericifera (bladderflower)
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Araujia sericifera (bladderflower)

Family: Asclepiadaceae

Description

A climbing perennial vine with very slender stems and large fruits. Butterflies are often killed by being trapped by the sticky flowers. The leaves are opposite and square (truncate) at the base. Spelled Araujia sericofera by some sources.

Characteristics

Flower Color
  • White
Inflorescence Type (How the flowers are arranged on the plant)
  • Axillary cluster
  • Solitary, axillary
Number of Petals
  • 5 petals
Petal Separation
  • United at base only (<25% length)
  • United from 25% - 75% length
Petal Tip
  • Pointed
  • Rounded
Flower Symmetry
  • Flowers regular
Flower Length (Head length in the Asteraceae)
  • 1.0 cm (.40 inch)
  • 1.5 cm (.6 inch)
Flower Width (Head width in the Asteraceae)
  • 2.0 cm (.80 inch)
  • 2.5 cm (1.0 inch)
  • 3.0 cm (1.2 inches)
Number of Sepals
  • 5 sepals
Sepal Separation
  • Completely free to base
  • United at base < 25% length
Sepal Tip
  • Pointed
Flower Sex
  • Bisexual (perfect)
Number of Styles
  • 1 style
  • 2 styles
Number of Stamens
  • 5 stamens
Stamens Attached to the Petals
  • Stamens attached to the petals
Stamens Connate (united)
  • Filaments united, monodelphous

Carpel Separation
  • Carpels united (or one)
Number of Carpels
  • 2 carpels
Ovary Position
  • Superior (hypogynous)
Fruit Type
  • Follicle
Fruit Length at Maturity
  • 7.0 cm (2.8 inches)
  • 8.0 cm (3.2 inches)
  • 9.0 cm (3.6 inches)
  • 1.0 dm (4.0 inches)
  • 1.5 dm (6.0 inches)
Fruit Width at Maturity
  • 2.0 cm (.80 inch)
  • 2.5 cm (1.0 inch)
  • 3.0 cm (1.2 inches)
  • 3.5 cm (1.4 inches)
  • 4.0 cm (1.8 inches)
  • more than 4.0 cm (> 1.8 inches)
Burs
  • Fruit or seed NOT bur-like

Leaf Arrangement
  • Opposite
Leaf Type
  • Simple (including lobed leaves)
Stipules
  • Lacking
Tendrils
  • Tendrils absent
Venation
  • Pinnate
Petiole (leaf stem) Blade Ratio
  • Petiole < 25% total length
  • Petiole 25% - 75% total length
Leaf Length (blade PLUS petiole)
  • 4 - 10 cm (1.60 - 4.0 inches)
  • 1 - 2 dm (4.0 - 8.0 inches)
Leaf Width
  • 2 - 4 cm (.80 - 1.6 inches)
  • 4 - 10 cm (1.6 - 4.0 inches)
Leaf Shape (simple leaves only)
  • Deltoid (triangular)
  • Hastate (spear-head)
Leaf or Leaflet Margin
  • Entire
Leaf or Leaflet Blade Base
  • Hastate
  • Truncate
Leaf or Leaflet Tip
  • Acute
Leaf or Leaflet Blade Surface
  • Puberulent
  • Pubescent
  • Sericeous or villous (silky)
  • Villous or sericious (silky)
Succulence
  • Not succulent

Milky Juice
  • Juice milky
Woodiness
  • Herbaceous
Spines or Thorns
  • Spines or Thorns ABSENT
Aromatic (vegetative structures)
  • Not aromatic
Life Cycle
  • Perennial
Growth Habit (while flowering)
  • Climbing vine
Plant Height at Maturity
  • 2 - 2.5 meters (6.6 - 8.3 feet)
  • 2.5 - 5 meters (8.3 - 16.6 feet)
  • more than 5.0 meters (16.6 33 feet)
Wind Dissemination
  • Fruit, seed, or spore wind borne
Moisture Regime
  • Mesic
Chlorophyll
  • Present

Stem Cross Section
  • Round
Flowering Stem Leaves
  • Stem uniformly leafy
Main Stem Branches
  • Main stem branched

Root or Vegetative Propagule
  • Tap Root

US State
  • Georgia
  • Arizona
  • California

  • California Growers Weed Identification Handbook, 1968 - 1998 University of California Publication # 4030-1, See page: 258
  • Weeds of California, 1970, State of California Publications and Documents. See page: 335
  • Weeds of California and other Western States, 2007 (ISBN 13: 978-1-879906-69-3) See Page: 164
  • Listed as a `Weed` by the Biota of North America Program, 2008 X
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