Plantae>Magnoliophyta>Magnoliopsida>Ranunculales>Menispermaceae>Menispermum canadense L.
| Moonseed, a deciduous climbing vine, is fairly common throughout North Carolina in floodplain forests and other moist wooded areas. Caswell Co., NC 5/21/10. |
| Drooping panicles of tiny white flowers appear in mid- to late-spring. Caswell Co., NC 5/21/10. |
| Stokes Co., NC 6/14/2009. |
| The leaves are peltate, with the petiole attached to the bottom of the leaf instead of the leaf margin. Chapel Hill, NC 5/5/07. |
| The leaves and all other parts of the plant are toxic. Durham Co., NC 4/1/07. |
| Durham Co., NC 4/1/07. |
| The small grapelike drupes (not shown) contain seeds shaped like a crescent moon — see the link below to the USDA site for an image. Chapel Hill, NC 5/5/07. |
| Flower detail. Desipte outward appearances, Moonseed is not closely related to grapes. Chapel Hill, NC 5/5/07. |
| Chapel Hill, NC 5/5/07. |
| Bark detail of the twining stems. Durham Co., NC 4/1/07. |
More information:
Bioimages
Illinois Wildflowers
Missouri Plants
Poisonous Plants of NC
USDA PLANTS database
All photographs and text ©2010 by Will Cook unless otherwise indicated.