Cayratia saponaria (Seem. ex Benth.) Domin

Vitaceae

Domin, K. (1912) Repertorium Specierum Novarum Regni Vegetabilis 11: 264.

Vine stem diameters to 10 cm recorded. Bark quite thick on large stems. Blaze marked by narrow vertical stripes and small orange speckles.

Leaflet blades about 8.5-20.5 x 5.5-12 cm. Stalk of the middle leaflet about 3-6 cm long, much longer than those of the lateral leaflets which are about 1-2.5 cm long. Underside of the leaflet blades with a few hairs on the midrib and the lateral veins, hairs simple. Tendrils usually 2-branched. Compound leaf rhachis and petiole clothed in hairs. Very small 'oil dots' just visible with a lens. Stipules broadly triangular, about 2-3 mm long. Oak grain in the twigs. Twigs very pithy.

Inflorescence about 20-23 cm long. Flowers about 2 mm diam., pedicels about 2 mm long. Calyx saucer-shaped, no lobes visible. Petals caducous, triangular, about 2.5 x 2 mm, each petal forming a hood over an anther. Anthers about 1 mm long, filaments about 1.5 mm long. Pollen yellow. Disk 1 mm high, surrounding the ovary. Ovary about 1-1.5 mm long. Ovules 2 per locule. Style conical. Stigma minute.

Fruits globose, about 7 mm diam. Seeds usually 2 per fruit, each seed about 3.5 x 3.5 mm, shaped like a quarter of an orange. Endosperm with a single, large testa intrusion. Embryo about 1 mm long.

Features not available.

Occurs in CYP, NEQ, CEQ and southwards to south eastern Queensland. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 850 m. Grows in well developed lowland and upland rain forest.

Cissus saponaria (Seem. ex Benth.) Planch., Monographiae Phanerogamarum 5 : 574(1887). Vitis saponaria Seem. ex Benth., Fl. Austral. 1: 448(1863), Type: Pipers Islets, 27 Sept. 1848, McGillivray; lecto. Torres Strait, Brown; para: E, K. Cape York, McGillivray; para: K. Vitis strigosa F.M.Bailey, The Queensland Flora 1: 281(1899), Type: Ranges about the Barron River, L.J. Nugent. [given by B.R.Jackes, Austrobaileya 2 (1987) 369 as Ranges about Cairns, Nugent 124 (BRI).]. Cissus bicolor Domin, Biblioth. Bot. 89: 921(1927), Type: Queensland, Harveys Creek, 1910, Domin 6373, 6374; holo: PR. Cayratia strigosa (Bailey) Domin, Repertorium Specierum Novarum Regni Vegetabilis 11: 264(1912).