Bryonia dioica - White Bryony

Phylum: Magnoliophyta - Class: Equisetopsida - Order: Cucurbitales - Family: Cucurbitaceae

Above: White‪ Bryony male flowers in mid July on the island of Jersey

White Bryony, a perennial climbing plant, is a close relative of marrows and cucumbers.

Description

The male and female flowers occur on separate plants. The male flowers have five bifurcated stamens, while female flowers have distinctive swollen green ovaries (which eventually become the bright red bryony 'berries' of autumn) separated from the rest of the flower structure by a short pedicel. The female flowers, and hence the berries, are borne in small clusters subtended by the leaf axils.

 

The leaves of White Bryony are lobed and mostly they have five lobes. White‪ Bryony climbs over other bushes assisted by its spring-like tendrils. Tendrils can spiral either clockwise or anticlockwise, and some of them are wound tightly like old-fashioned bed springs while others are much more lax and wandering.

Distribution

Found throughout Britain and Ireland, but rare in Scotland and most of Wales, White Bryony is most plemtiful in central and southern England. Elsewhere, Bryonia dioica is quite common in many parts of central and southern mainland Europe, and its native range extends into parts of Asia.

Habitat

This scrambling plant of hedgerows and woodland edges crawls up all sorts of plants including nettles, brambles, low-growing bushes and young trees (as well as wire fences!)

Blooming times

The creamy-green flowers of White Bryony can be seen between May and August.

Etymology

The specific epithet dioica means 'having two houses' - a reference to the fact that male and female flowers occur on separate plants..

Uses

Many people like to pick bryony berries for table decorations in late autumn and early winter, as they tend to persist for many weeks. They are, however, poisonous and so should be kept well away from young children.