Trophis scandens (Lour.) Hook. & Arn. subsp. scandens

Moraceae

Hooker, W.J. & Arnott, G.A.W. (1837) Botany Beechey Voyage : 214.

Burney Vine; Burny Vine; Fire Vine; Firevine; Smarty Smarty; Vine, Burney; Vine, Fire; Ash, Crow; Crow Ash

Vine stem diameters to 6 cm recorded. Lenticels quite numerous, pale.

Twigs and petioles produce a milky exudate. Leaf blades about 4-11 x 1.5-5 cm, petioles about 0.2-1.2 cm long. Stipules about 2 mm long, sheathing the terminal bud. Stipular scars small and inconspicuous. Younger twigs marked by pale, elongated lenticels. Lower surface of the leaf blade scabrous. Lateral veins forming loops inside the blade margin.

Male flowers: Flowers in spikes about 20-30 mm long. Flowers globose, about 1-1.5 mm diam. Tepals about 1.5 x 1 mm, outer surface densely clothed in hairs. Anthers about 1.2 x 1.2 mm, filaments about 3.5 mm long. Female flowers: Flowers borne in globular heads about 4 mm diam. Heads solitary or in racemes. Individual flowers about 1-1.2 x 1 mm. Usually about 2-4 fertile flowers per head. Perianth urn-shaped, completely enclosing the ovary, only the stigmas protruding at the apex. Style short, stigmas about 5-7 mm long.

Receptacle orange-red, tuberculate, about 10-15 mm long with 1-3 fruits attached. Each fruit about 9 mm long, ellipsoid, style persistent at the apex. Seeds about 7 mm long, one cotyledon much longer than the other and completely enveloping the smaller one. Radicle about 2 mm long.

One or two cataphylls produced before the first pair of true leaves. First pair of true leaves ovate, about 20-30 x 12-18 mm, margins crenate or lobed, petioles about 1-2 mm long. Stipules narrowly triangular or filiform, about 2 mm long. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade ovate, about 8-9 x 4-5 cm, apex acute to acuminate, base auriculate, petiole about 4 mm long. Stipules about 2 mm long, sheathing the terminal bud. Lateral veins forming loops inside the blade margin. Seed germination time 17 to 28 days.

Occurs in WA, NT, CYP, NEQ, CEQ and southwards as far as south-eastern New South Wales. Altitudinal range in northern Australia from near sea level to 1100 m. Grows in beach forest, monsoon forest, lowland, upland and mountain rain forest. Also occurs in Malesia.

Food plant for the larval stages of the Two-brand Crow and Eastern Brown Crow Butterflies. Common & Waterhouse (1981).

Malaisia scandens (Lour.) Planch., Annales des Sciences Naturelles, Botanique ser. 4, 3 : 293(1855). Malaisia scandens (Lour.) Planch. subsp. megacarpa P.S.Green, Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 67: 113(1986). Caturus scandens Lour., Fl. Cochinch. : 612(1790), Type: Indo-China, J. de Loureiro; holo: BM. Fide E. D. Merrill, Trans. Amer. Phil. Soc. 24: 133 (1935). Malaisia cunninghamii Planch., Annales des Sciences Naturelles, Botanique ser. 4, 3 : 294(1855), Type: Nouvelle-Hollande, cote orientale intertropicale; dans le forets epaisses de la riviere Brisbane et de Moreton-Bay. Allan Cunningham. Malaisia acuminata Planch., Annales des Sciences Naturelles, Botanique ser. 4, 3 : 294(1855), Type: Nouvelle-Hollande, sur le mont Marshall, dans le district dIllawara, Bakhouse in herb. Hook. Malaisia viridescens Planch., Annales des Sciences Naturelles, Botanique ser. 4, 3 : 293(1855), Type: Nouvelle-Hollande, cote orientale intertropicale, Allan Cunningham. Malaisia tortuosa var. viridescens (Planch.) Bureau, Prodromus 17: 222(1873). Malaisia tortuosa var. acuminata (Planch.) Bureau, Prodromus 17: 222(1873). Malaisia tortuosa Blanco, Flora de Filipinas : 789(1837), Type: Algunos indios le conocen y fan a beber su cocimiento a las mugeres paridas.