Berchemia scandens explained

Berchemia scandens, commonly called supplejack, Alabama supplejack, Carolina supplejack, and American rattan,[1] [2] is a woody vine in the buckthorn family native to the southeastern United States. It is found in a wide variety of habitats, including swamps, bottomlands, streambanks, moist to dry upland forests, woodlands, glades, and prairies over calcareous rock or sediment.

It is a woody vine, with older stems reaching 18 cm in diameter. The strong stems of the plant are often used for wickerwork.[3]

Traditional medicinal uses

The Houma people used a decoction of the aerial parts of the vine for impotency. Other Native Americans used the plant as a blood purifier and the ashes of the vine to treat coughs.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2024-08-08 . Berchemia scandens (Supplejack) - Flora of the Southeastern United States . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240808180912/https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu/main.php?pg=show-taxon-detail.php&lsid=urn:lsid:ncbg.unc.edu:taxon:%7B4A7228F3-B484-4AC3-A83B-2F739477E9DA%7D . 2024-08-08 . 2024-08-08 . Flora of the Southeastern United States.
  2. Web site: 2024-08-08 . USDA Plants Database - Berchemia scandens . live . https://archive.today/20240808182955/https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=besc . 2024-08-08 . 2024-08-08 . USDA Plants Database.
  3. Web site: Berchemia scandens. www.missouribotanicalgarden.org. Missouri Botanical Garden. 4 December 2016.
  4. Book: Moerman, Daniel . 2009 . Native American Medicinal Plants: An Ethnobotanical Dictionary . Timber Press .

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