Cissus reniformis Domin

Domin, K. (1912) Repertorium Specierum Novarum Regni Vegetabilis 11(16: 263. Type: Australia, Gulf of Carpentaria, Jan. 1803, R. Brown 5237; syn: MEL, BM, E, K.

Vine stem diameters to 8 cm recorded. Stems often laterally flattened. Blaze +/- lemon-coloured, marked by fine slightly darker fibrous stripes. Living bark layer often rather thin.

Leaf blades about 5.5-16 x 4-11 cm, petioles about 1.8-7.5 cm long. 'Oil dots' often elongated, but the 'oil dots' themselves are far from obvious. Twigs rather pithy. Stipules caducous, triangular to +/- orbicular, about 2-3 mm long, +/- peltate. Crushed leaves emit an unusual odour which is difficult to describe. Lateral veins raised on the upper surface, about 4-6 on each side of the midrib. Leaf blade margins with about 14-16 teeth on each side. Scattered, shallow, depressed, crater-like glands present on the underside of the leaf blade. Scattered, depressed glands visible on the underside of the leaf blade. Tendrils simple (unbranched) leaf-opposed. Twigs glabrous, terete in transverse section, showing an oak grain.

Inflorescence leaf-opposed. Pedicels about 3.5 mm long. Calyx lobes not obvious. Petals about 2-2.5 mm long, hooked at the apex. Stamens attached outside the disk. Disk margin slightly lobed, surface undulating. Anthers about 0.7-0.8 mm long, filaments about 1-1.8 mm long. Style about 0.8 mm long. Ovules 2 per locule, attached near the base of each locule.

Fruits reddish-brown to black. Fruits globular or depressed globular, about 8-13 x 14-15 mm. Seeds 1-3 per fruit, each seed obovoid, about 7-9 x 7-7.5 mm. Embryo about 1.5-3 mm long. Cotyledons about 0.5 x 0.6 mm, crimped on one surface. Radicle about 0.6-1.5 mm long.

Cotyledons variable in shape, wider than long, about 12-18 x 18-35 mm, petioles about 7-10 mm long. Cotyledons margins entire or lobed. First pair of leaves about 28-35 x 20-22 mm, petioles about 12-15 mm long, margins toothed. Oil dots in the cotyledons streaky, i.e. cigar-shaped. Taproot thickened, carrot-like. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade about 6.2-11.2 x 6.2-9.5 cm, petiole about 2.2-4.5 cm long. Leaf blade margins toothed and/or lobed. Taproot thickened, carrot-like. Seed germination time 50 days.

Endemic to Australia, occurs in WA, NT, CYP, NEQ, CEQ and southwards nearly as far as south eastern Queensland.  Altitudinal range from near sea level to 800 m. Grows in vine thicket, monsoon forest, beach forest and sometimes in the drier more seasonal rain forest.