Sarcopetalum harveyanum F.Muell.

Mueller, F.J.H. von (1862) Plants Indigenous to the Colony of Victoria 1: 27. Type: Victoria, Snowy River, F. Mueller. Syn: K, MEL. New South Wales, Parramatta, W. Woolls s. n. Syn: MEL.

Pearl Vine; Vine, Pearl

A slender vine not exceeding a stem diameter of 2 cm.

Leaf blades about 16 x 11 cm, petioles about 8-9 cm long. Usually about 7 veins, including the midrib, radiating from the base of the leaf blade. Oak grain in the twigs.

Male flowers: Racemes about 4 cm long. Flowers about 3 mm diam. Sepals about 1 mm long. Petals fleshy, about 1-1.25 mm diam. Stamens 3, fused to form a column about 1 mm high, anthers about 0.5 mm long, filaments about 0.5 mm long. Female flowers: Inflorescence about 4 cm long. Flowers about 2.5-3 mm diam. Sepals triangular, about 0.75 mm long. Petals fleshy, about 1 x 1 mm. Ovaries 3, each about 1 mm long. Stigmas sessile, bilobed, about 1 mm long, recurved.

Fruits sometimes solitary but frequently paired. Fruits globose, about 6.5-10 x 6 mm, laterally compressed, asymmetrical, sometimes pyriform in outline. Style remnants lateral. Endocarps, +/- reniform, about 3-5 x 4-7 mm, surface rugose or coarsely spiny. Embryo U-shaped. Radicle curved, about 0.7 mm diam., slightly wider and much longer than the curved cotyledons.

Cotyledons oblong to linear, about 16 x 2 mm. Venation longitudinal and parallel. First leaves cordate, apex apiculate, base cordate or slightly peltate. Leaf blades very pale and glabrous on the lower surface. Venation palmate. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf peltate, cordate, blade palmately veined with five to seven veins (including the midrib) radiating from the base. Midrib raised on the upper surface. Seed germination time 92 to 167 days.

Endemic to Australia, occurs in NEQ, CEQ and southwards as far as Victoria. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 1000 m. Grows in well developed lowland and upland rain forest.