North America Non-native Plant

Entada Pursaetha

Botanical name: Entada pursaetha

USDA symbol: ENPU3

Life cycle: perennial

Native status: Not native but doesn't reproduce and persist in the wild

The Mystery of Entada pursaetha: When Plant Names Don’t Add Up As a native plant enthusiast, I’m always excited to explore new species and share growing tips with fellow gardeners. However, today I need to address something a bit unusual: Entada pursaetha, a plant name that has left me scratching ...

The Mystery of Entada pursaetha: When Plant Names Don’t Add Up

As a native plant enthusiast, I’m always excited to explore new species and share growing tips with fellow gardeners. However, today I need to address something a bit unusual: Entada pursaetha, a plant name that has left me scratching my head.

The Search for Entada pursaetha

After extensive research through botanical databases, scientific literature, and plant identification resources, I’ve been unable to find any legitimate documentation of a plant species called Entada pursaetha. While the genus Entada certainly exists and includes fascinating climbing legumes known for their enormous seed pods, this particular species name doesn’t appear in any verified botanical sources.

What This Means for Gardeners

If you’ve encountered this name somewhere and were hoping to add it to your garden, here’s what I recommend:

  • Double-check the spelling – plant names can be easily misspelled or misremembered
  • Look for similar-sounding species in the Entada genus
  • Consider verified Entada species like Entada rheedii (Sea Heart) if you’re interested in this plant family
  • Consult with local botanical gardens or extension services for plant identification help

The Importance of Accurate Plant Names

This situation highlights why using correct botanical names is so crucial in gardening. Scientific names help ensure we’re all talking about the same plant, which is essential for sharing accurate growing information and conservation efforts.

If you have more information about Entada pursaetha or believe you’ve encountered this plant, I’d love to hear from you! Gardening is a community effort, and sometimes mysterious plant names can lead to interesting discoveries.

Entada Pursaetha

Classification

Group

Dicot

Kingdom

Plantae - Plants

Subkingdom

Tracheobionta - Vascular plants

Superdivision

Spermatophyta - Seed plants

Division

Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants

Subdivision
Class

Magnoliopsida - Dicotyledons

Subclass

Rosidae

Order

Fabales

Family

Fabaceae Lindl. - Pea family

Genus

Entada Adans. - callingcard vine

Species

Entada pursaetha DC.

Plant data source: USDA, NRCS 2025. The PLANTS Database. https://plants.usda.gov,. 2/25/2025. National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA