Sicyos undara I.Telford & P.Sebastian

Telford, I.R.H., Sebastian, P., de Lange, P.J., Bruhl, J.J. & Renner, S.S. (2012) Australian Systematic Botany 25: 194-196. Type: AUSTRALIA: Queensland: Cook District: Undara Volcanic National Park, 50m W of Pinwill Cave entrance, 27 March 2009, I.R. Telford 13317 & P. Sebastian; holo: BRI; iso: BISH, CANB, CHR, CNS, K, M, MO, NE, US.

Stems annual, up to 5 m long, up to 2.5 mm diam., sparsely hairy; tendrils 3- or 4-branched.

Leaves simple, lamina 2-11.7 cm long, 2-9.4 cm wide; cordate with broad basal sinus; 3- or 5-lobed; margins dentate; hairy on both surfaces; petiole 10-35 mm long.

Male and female flowers on same plant. Male flowers: in racemes of 7-25 flowers; peduncle 2.4-10.8 cm long; flowers pedicel 5-21 mm long; cayx tube (hypanthium) broadly campanulate, ca. 1.8 mm diameter; calyx lobes linear ca. 0.7 mm long; corolla 3-5.7 mm diameter, glabrous inside and out, margins glandular hairy, greenish-white, 5-lobed, lobes triangular and 1-1.8 mm long; staminal column 0.9-1.1 mm long. Female flowers: in a 4-8-flowered head; peduncle (20-)32-74 mm long; flowers subsessile; ovary ovate, 1.2 mm long, spiny; calyx tube (hypanthium) broadly campanulate above constriction; calyx lobes linear, 0.7 mm long; corolla 2.6-3 mm diameter, glabrous inside and out, margins minutely glandular hairy, greenish-white, 5-lobed, lobes triangular ca. 1 mm long; style 1.5 mm long; stigma 2-lobed, lobes recurved.

Fruit ovate or subglobose, 4-5.8 mm long x 2.2-2.6 mm diameter, surface smooth, with prickles; prickles ca. 1.4-2.8 mm long, tips recurved. Seeds ovate ca. 3.5 x 2 mm, cream.

Fetures not available.

Endemic to NEQ, known only from the Undara Lava Tubes east of Mt Surprise. Altitudinal range ca. 840 m. Grows in deciduous vine thicket.

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