Palmeria scandens F.Muell.

Mueller, F.J.H. von (1864) Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 4: 152. Type: Qld, Rockingham Bay, Dallachy; Lecto: MEL 2050674. Fide T. Whiffin & D. Foreman (2007).

Anchor Vine; Vine, Anchor

Vine stem diameters to 20 cm recorded.

Leaf blades about 4.5-19 x 2-9 cm, petioles about 0.4-1.4 cm long. Lateral veins forming fairly definite loops inside the blade margin. Both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaf blade sparsely clothed in simple hairs. Stellate hairs often visible on the underside of the leaf blade. Oak grain in the twigs.

Male flowers: Inflorescence about 7-9 cm long, flowers about 7-9 mm diam. Tepals hooded, about 4 mm long, outer surface densely clothed in stellate hairs. Anthers +/- sessile, hairy, about 1 mm long, about 6 associated with each tepal. Female flowers: Inflorescence about 1-2 cm long, clothed in matted white hairs. Flowers about 3 mm diam., tepals difficult to distinguish. The inner surface of the receptacle densely clothed in bristly hairs with the carpels borne amongst the hairs. Carpels 11-15 per flower, each carpel about 0.5 mm long. Ovules 1 per carpel.

Fruiting receptacle green on the outer surface but red and hairy on the inner surface, about 15-25 mm diam. Fruiting carpels black and shiny, about 1-9 per receptacle. Seeds about 5-6 mm diam., obtuse at one end but pointed at the other. Embryo about 1-1.5 mm long, cotyledons divergent, adaxial surfaces not appressed. Radicle shorter than the cotyledons.

Cotyledons cordate, about 12-15 x 12-15 mm, clothed in pale simple hairs on both the upper and lower surfaces. First pair of leaves elliptic, both the upper and lower surfaces clothed in pale simple and stellate hairs. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade elliptic, about 6-10 x 2-4 cm, both the upper and lower surfaces clothed in pale hairs, apex acuminate, base cuneate, petiole about 0.3-0.5 cm long. Lateral veins forming loops well inside the blade margin. Roots emit an aromatic or spicy odour when crushed. Seed germination time 49 to 126 days.

Occurs in CYP, NEQ, CEQ and southwards as far as south-eastern New South Wales. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 1500 m. Grows in lowland, upland and mountain rain forest. Also occurs in New Guinea.