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There is a plant called the "mile-a-minute" vine. (See link below)

https://mam.uconn.edu/species-identification/#trait3

I noticed the plant has ocreae surrounding each branch point but I cannot find any description about the function of ocreae online.

Does anyone have any idea what the function of the ocreae are on this vine? The only thing I could think of is that it helps collect water and distribute it down the vine towards the root assuming that the plants' roots are below the ocreae.

Oliver G
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From an article on Wikipedia (linked to from Persicaria perfoliata).

An ochrea (Latin ocrea, greave or protective legging), also spelled ocrea, is a plant structure formed of stipules fused into a sheath surrounding the stem, and is typically found in the Polygonaceae.

There are no citations, but if correct then the name suggests it's for protection.

PeteGO
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    I'm going to take the unusual route of explaining my down vote because I realize that, as a new user trying to be helpful, it seems unkind not to. It's a mistake to think that taxonomic nomenclature does anything more than label taxonomic groups. At its best, it does explain function, but often it is simply based on the appearance of a thing. The ochrea resembles what was a familiar enough object: a greave, or today, a shinguard. So the person who named this plant basically named it "like a peach with a greave". The heck if I know why it's like a peach (or a red shank, the other possibility) – anongoodnurse Oct 09 '22 at 15:59
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    ... As stated, I gave this a DV, and did so because it's wrong. I apologize for not explaining the DV. I hope you see this, and also hope to express that I appreciate your willingness to help (so please, do so again!), and again, I'm sorry. (A well known example of silly nomenclature is Pieza rhea (2002), meant to sound like "pizzaria", Pieza pi, and Pieza kake. See what I mean? Nomenclature explains when it's well done, but it's all over the place. – anongoodnurse Oct 09 '22 at 16:14