Thyrsanthella difformis (Walter) Pichon. Common name: Climbing Dogbane. Phenology: May-Jul; Jul-Sep. Habitat: Dry-mesic to mesic upland forests and woodlands, bottomland and riparian forests, moist prairie, flatwoods, swamps, marsh, old fields, roadsides. Distribution: DE south to n. peninsular FL, west to e. TX, north in the interior to MO and IN.
ID notes: Very variable in leaf size, with leaves up to 14 cm long and 8 cm wide, but usually much smaller and proportionally narrow than that. The leaves are often about the size and shape of Gelsemium leaves; fresh material is easily distinguished by the milky sap of Thyrsanthella.
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Taxonomy Comments: See Krings (2003) for a discussion of nomenclature.
Synonymy ⓘ: = Fl5, FNA14, K4, Ok, WH3, Livshultz et al (2007); = Echites difformis Walter = Forsteronia difformis (Walter) DC.; = Trachelospermum difforme (Walter) A.Gray — Ar, C, F, G, GW2, Il, Mo2, RAB, S, Tat, Tn, Tx, Va. Basionym: Echites difformis Walter 1788
Links to other floras: = Thyrsanthella difformis - FNA14
Show parent genus | Show parent in key(s)
Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACW
- Great Plains: FACW
- Midwest: FACW
Heliophily ⓘ: 5
Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.
© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
© Sonnia Hill | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Sonnia Hill | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Sonnia Hill | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷Feedback
See something missing or incorrect about Thyrsanthella difformis? Let us know here:
- Please include your name and if possible, email in case when need to clarify what you wrote.
- If you opt out of including email, please be as specific as possible (e.g., which photo is incorrect?)
- Please do not submit questions asking to identify plants or about horticultural topics (e.g., how do I control an invasive plant in my garden?). Instead, those questions can be submitted here for the Carolinas region only.
- Please do not send us feedback about unkeyed species as this work is ongoing.
- Please allow time for flora edits to show in our next data release. We greatly appreciate your feedback but may require extra time to research complicated taxonomic issues.
Horticultural Information
No horticultural data found for this taxon.