Ampelocissus acetosa (F.Muell.) Planch.

Vitaceae

Planchon, J.E. (1885) La Vigne Americaines 9: 96.

Native Grape; Grape, Native

Vine stem diameters to 3 cm recorded.

Leaves pedate with 7-9 leaflets. Leaflets about 4-12 x 2-6 cm, middle leaflet usually slightly larger than the other leaflets, leaflet stalks about 0.3-2 cm long. Lateral veins about 4-9 on each side of the midrib. Stipules persistent, broad-based, about 1.5 mm long, much wider than long. Tendrils simple (unbranched) leaf-opposed.

Inflorescence leaf-opposed, produced on a tendril well back from the coiled section of the tendril. Flowers about 3.5 mm diam. Calyx tube 5-lobed, the lobes small and inconspicuous, the calyx tube plus lobes about 0.5 mm long. Petals about 2 x 0.7 mm. Stamens about 1-2 mm long, filaments about 0.75-1 mm long, anthers about 0.3-0.5 mm long. Stigma +/- sessile. Ovules 2 per locule.

Fruits globular to depressed globular, about 8-12 mm diam. Seeds 1-4 per fruit, each seed about 6-8 x 5 mm. Endosperm ruminate, the testa intruding into the endosperm as a longitudinal rib. Embryo about 1 mm long. Cotyledons about 0.5 mm long, the radicle about the same length or longer.

Cotyledons about 22 x 12 mm, base attenuate, petioles about 11-15 mm long. First leaf blade about 15 x 25 mm, 'oil dots' numerous, petiole about 15 mm long. Second leaf blade +/- praemorse at the apex(?), about 20 x 22 mm, petiole about 10 mm long.

Occurs in WA, NT, CYP and NEQ. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 250 m. Grows in vine thicket, monsoon forest or the edge of gallery forest or lowland rain forest. Also occurs in New Guinea.

This plant used medicinally by Aborigines, the juice used for bite of death adder. Cribb (1981).

Vitis acetosa (F.Muell.) F.Muell., Plants Indigenous to the Colony of Victoria 1: 94(1862). Cayratia acetosa (F.Muell.) Domin, Repertorium Specierum Novarum Regni Vegetabilis 11: 264(1912). Cissus acetosa F.Muell., Transactions of the Philosophical Institute of Victoria 3: 24(1859), Type: Syn: North Coast, R. Brown- BM, E, K; Victoria R., Mueller- K, MEL; Fitzmaurice R., Mueller- K; Sweers Island, Henne- BM, K.