Mikania is a large genus of roughly 450 species of flowering plants in the tribe Eupatorieae within the family Asteraceae (order Asterales). It was described by the botanist Carl Ludwig Willdenow in 1803. The genus is distinguished within the daisy family by its exclusively twining, climbing habit: members grow as stem twiners and lianas rather than erect herbs or shrubs, setting them apart from most of their relatives in the tribe.
Flowers across the genus share the characteristic Eupatorieae arrangement of disc florets only, with no ray florets — meaning the flower heads lack the strap-like petals seen in sunflowers or daisies, and instead consist entirely of tubular florets.
The genus is primarily neotropical in distribution, originating from South America, and is most diverse in the moist lowland and montane forests of that region. A small number of species, including Mikania scandens, extend into temperate zones of North and South America, while nine species have been recorded from the Old World tropics.
Mikania micrantha, one of the genus's most ecologically consequential species, is a rapid-growing pantropical weed capable of elongating up to 80 mm in a single day; it smothers native vegetation and agricultural crops across tropical Asia, Africa, and the Pacific. On the medicinal end of the spectrum, Mikania laevigata and Mikania glomerata — both known as guaco in Brazil — have a long history of use in herbal medicine, particularly for respiratory conditions.
Etymology
The genus name Mikania honors the Czech botanist Johann Christian Mikan (1743–1814), a professor of botany in Prague. The genus was formally described by Carl Ludwig Willdenow in 1803 in Species Plantarum.
Distribution
Mikania originates from South America and is most diverse in neotropical regions. A few species, including Mikania scandens, extend into temperate areas of North and South America as far north as Maine and Michigan. Nine species are native to the Old World tropics.
Ecology
Members of Mikania are stem twiners and lianas, climbing over supporting vegetation. Mikania micrantha is a particularly aggressive weed in tropical areas, capable of growing up to 80 mm in 24 hours and smothering host plants; biological, fungal, and herbicidal control measures have been investigated.
Cultural Uses
Mikania laevigata and Mikania glomerata, known as guaco in Brazil, are widely used in traditional herbal medicine, particularly for treating respiratory ailments such as bronchitis and coughs. Guaco preparations are sold commercially in Brazil and other parts of South America.
