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Description: Epipremnum carolinense is a perennial, herbaceous, climbing vine that produces large smooth leaves and grows up and around forest trees. As a member of the aroid or arum family, Araceae, E. carolinense is a tropical species, and like its aroid relatives it is known for the calcium oxalate crystals or raphides present in this vine. All parts of plants belonging to the Aroid or Arum family (Araceae), such as species of Epipremnum (e.g., E. aureum) are toxic, mostly due to trichosclereids (long sharp cells) and raphides containing crystals of calcium oxalate and toxic proteins which can cause intense irritation of the skin and mucous membranes, and poisoning if the raw plant tissue is eaten. Aroids range from tiny floating aquatic plants to forest climbers. Many are cultivated for their ornamental flowers or foliage and others for their food value. Epipremnum aureum, is widely cultivated and notable for its variegated, super large leaves; E. aureum is known as Golden Potho, but is also called by a number of other names, including Devil’s Ivy or Devil’s Vine; the latter names for this alien ornamental relative of E. carolinense, because E. aureum is almost impossible to kill and remains green even when kept in darkened places.
Distribution: E. carolinense grows in volcanic soils in the tropical forests of the Western Caroline Islands in Micronesia where it is a native endemic species of the high islands (Costion and Lorence 2012:64). It has many close relatives in the genus Epipremnum (~15 species) which are slender to gigantic root-climbing plants. All of these herbaceous evergreen species are native to different areas of South East Asia, Solomon Islands and at least one species (E. carolinense) found in the Western Caroline Islands. Among the other species of note in the genus Epipremnum is E. aureum, referred to above as a popular houseplant in temperate areas and an outdoor ornamental in tropical and sub-tropical areas where it has become naturalized and even invasive; indeed, E. aureum is quite widespread ornamental with a plethora of common English names such as golden pothos, hunter's robe, ivy arum, money plant, silver vine, Solomon Islands ivy, taro vine and devil's vine or devil's ivy. The last two names were inspired because it E. aureum is nearly impossible to destroy as this plant remains green even when it is kept in the dark or very low light conditions. E. aureum is sometimes mistakenly labeled as a Philodendron in plant stores. While E. carolinense is native to some of the islands in Micronesia, E. aureum has naturalized in many areas of South Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and some Pacific Islands where it has contributed to serious ecological damages in some areas; however, even though it is a dangerously invasive species, E. aureum remains as a common ornamental with possible redeeming characteristics.
“Studies have been included comprising the special features of Epipremnum aureum in phytoremediation for the removal of Cobalt and Cesium and in the purification of air against formaldehyde. The antimicrobial activity of roots and leaf extracts of Epipremnum aureum against many bacterial strains have been included. It also presents the antitermite activity of Golden pothos that can be harnessed for pest control” (Meshram and Srivastava 2014).
Uses by Island or Island Group:
Uses in Palau: Epipremnum carolinense has been traditionally used in Palauan menstration and abortion medicine (Kitalong et al. 2011:75). According to Okabe (see Defillips et al. 1988):
“In childbirth, safe delivery is expected by taking the juice squeezed out of six leaves [of E. carolinense], diluted with water, three times a day. As an emmenagogue, the leaves are crumpled and steeped in water, which turns red, and is filtered through the fibrous network of a coconut leaf-base and drunk. Sap of leaves and stem is poisonous.”
Uses in Yap: For decoration in Yap, the leaf of Epipremnum carolinense (Gumoy or Gabuey ni kan)is reportedly heated, then dried, and worn by men as anklets during dances. E. carolinense [referred to as Rhaphidophora] is also reportedly known as “gabuey ni kan”(“spirit of gabuey”) which is related to the use of the leaf of this climbing plant as a substitute for the leaf of Gabuey,the betel leaf vine (Piper betle) which is traditionally used commonly in Yap and many other areas to wrap up the betel nut fruit (Areca catechu) or part of it (see notes on specimen #646, of “Rhaphidophora” [now reclassified as E. carolinense]collected on Yap in 1965 by M.V. Cushing & Mary Mitag and deposited in the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany). According to Cushing and Mitag, the betel quid wrapped in the leaf of “gabueyninikan”is for an offering to a spirit (“kan” is a general name for a “spirit” in Yap; Cushing and Mitag, also noted that a “young boy” told them that “Children swing on some of the young vine like growths [of this “Raphidophora” = E. carolinense plants] but not others, which although they look the same, break easily.” Furthermore, E. carolinense is reported to have been used medicinally in Yap, for example, according to Okabe (see Defillips et al. 1988): “For tuberculosis, young leaves of this plant and of Costus speciousus are crushed together, and the sap is drunk together with coconut milk.”
Uses in Pohnpei: Note: Epipremnum pinnatum L.(Engl.) a relative of E. was introduced into Pohnpei as an ornamental plant according to Ragone et al. (2001) from the Celebes (Sulawesi) in Indonesia during the period of Japanese control and administration.