Flora of the Southeastern United States

Odontostephana carolinensis (Jacquin) Alexander. Common name: Carolina Spinypod. Phenology: Apr-Jul (-Aug); Jun-Oct (-Nov). Habitat: Moist to dry, nutrient-rich forests. Distribution: Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, and s. Missouri south to Georgia and Mississippi (and w. Louisiana). A single record from e. TX in Newton Co. (LSU 129001; Kartesz, pers comm. 2026) was not annotated by Fishbein or mentioned in Fishbein and McDonnell (2023) and TX is omitted from their distribution, although a specimen of M. carolinensis was cited nearby from Catahoula Parish, LA (Thomas 13,124). See taxonomy comment below.

Origin/Endemic status: Endemic

Taxonomy Comments: "Matelea carolinensis is a widespread and variable species that has long presented challenges in circumscription. The most widely distributed and common form has small, nearly rotate corollas with deltate to oval corolla lobes that are sometimes reflexed. However, Appalachian populations in the Carolinas may vary by having larger flowers with lobes that are much narrower and ascending. In the Appalachian region, there is a bewildering array of floral diversity including large and small corollas with ascending lobes and individual plants with lobes that are reflexed, spreading, and ascending, perhaps in part due to developmental changes. Plants from the Carolinas with large corollas and ascending lobes have been considered to be conspecific with those in the Ozark region treated here as M. decipiens since that species was first described by Alexander. These two population systems are strongly disjunct. Careful study of corona structure suggests that these populations are convergent in their narrow, campanulate corollas and that the Appalachian plants belong to the same species as the widespread populations with smaller, rotate corollas with which they intergrade. Further study using population genetics and other data types is needed to address conflicting treatments of these plants." (Fishbein & McDonnell 2023).

Synonymy ⓘ: = POWO, S, Liede-Schumann et al (2026); = Gonolobus carolinensis (Jacq.) R.Br. ex Schult. — F, G, Tat; = Matelea carolinensis (Jacq.) Woodson — C, FNA14, K1, K4, NS, RAB, Tn, Va, W; = Vincetoxicum carolinensis (Jacq.) Britton. Basionym: Cynanchum carolinense Jacquin 1788

Links to other floras: = Matelea carolinensis - FNA14

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Heliophily ⓘ: 6