BotanyFilter

December 25, 2009 2:16 PM

What kind of vine is this?

Found growing all over the place, though mostly in the shade, while hiking near Santa Monica, CA. I've never seen it before, which points to either (a) an invasive or (b) poor observational skills on my part for 20 years. Closeups:
Leaves, flowers

posted by range to Home & Garden (8 answers total)

According to my wife (the resident authority on these matters) it's wild Gooseberry.
posted by metagnathous at 2:52 PM on December 25, 2009

Is it some kind of Bryony?
posted by Solomon at 3:03 PM on December 25, 2009

Possibly this California native? Marah fabaceaus images.
posted by X4ster at 3:36 PM on December 25, 2009

looks like a wild cucumber of some sort...not sure of species...there's one that grows along the Oregon coast.
posted by dan g. at 3:38 PM on December 25, 2009

our species is Marah oregana...looks similar to yours, though the leaves are a bit different.
posted by dan g. at 3:39 PM on December 25, 2009

Best answer: looks lke yours might be this one:
http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/botanytextbooks/generalbotany/typesofshoots/tendril/b0120tx.html
posted by dan g. at 3:42 PM on December 25, 2009

Response by poster: I don't think it's a match for Gooseberry, but Bryony looks pretty compelling, and there are a few close-match species (bryonia dioica and white bryony) that are listed as "introduced species" by the USDA for California. No little green veins on my flowers but maybe I just caught it at the right time. Unfortunately USDA defines "introduced" as "post-Columbus," so no way for me to tell if it's always been here during my lifetime or if it's a recent intruder. Thanks!
posted by range at 4:04 PM on December 25, 2009

Response by poster: Wow, should have previewed. I think dan g. has it. I'm amazed I've never noticed this thing before.
posted by range at 4:09 PM on December 25, 2009