What is "celastrus"

Celastrus \Celastrus\ n. the type genus of the Celastraceae, comprising the plants called climbing bittersweet; bittersweet and shrubby bittersweet; they are woody vines and shrubs native chiefly to Asia and Australia, bearing yellow to orange capsules which open to expose red-coated seeds. See also bittersweet[3b].

Syn: genus Celastrus.

Celastrus, commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet is a genus in the Celastraceae family which comprises about 30-40 species of shrubs and vines. They have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa and the Americas.

The leaves are alternate and simple ovoid, typically long. The flowers are small, white, pink or greenish, and borne in long panicles; the fruit is a red three-valved berry. The fruit are eaten by frugivorous birds, which disperse the seeds in their droppings. All parts of the plants are poisonous to humans if eaten.

In North America, they are known as bittersweet, presumably a result of confusion with the unrelated Bittersweet ( Solanum dulcamara) by early colonists. C. orbiculatus is a serious invasive weed in much of eastern North America.