Pseudodiphasium volubile

Lycopodiaceae

Pseudodiphasium volubile (G.Forst.) Holub

Link to Australian Plant Name Index for publication details and synonyms: https://id.biodiversity.org.au/name/apni/51312474

Main stems trailing or scandent, to 5 m long, wiry, branched, terete, with scattered appressed subpeltate attenuated scale leaves, 3.5–5 mm long. Branchlets scattered, spreading, flattened into 1 plane, much-branched. Leaves trimorphic, yellowish green, rarely orange; lateral leaves in 2 alternate to opposite rows, ovate-lanceolate, falcate, attenuate, adnate, 3–4 mm long, to 1 mm wide; upper leaves in 2 alternate to opposite rows, scale-like, appressed, 1–2 mm long, c. 0.2 mm wide; lower leaves in 1 row, widely spaced, appressed, scale-like, to 1 mm long, obscure. 

Recorded once from Mt Bellenden Ker in NE QLD. Also in New Zealand, Malesia and Pacific Islands.

Terrestrial, scrambling and climbing over shrubs in low microphyll vine forest or in open situations.

This species was recorded by Domin on Mt Bellenden Ker and has not been collected again. A second collection without precise locality data is present in the NSW herbarium. The occurence of this taxon in Australia is considered doubtful.

None - this is the only large climbing Lycopod recorded from Australia.