Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants - Online edition
Tylophora flexuosa R.Br.
Brown, R. (1810) Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae : 460. Type: Northern Territory, [Groote Eylandt], Jan. 1803, R. Brown; lecto BM; iso: CANB. Fide P. I. Forster, Austral. Syst. Bot. 5:47 (1992).
A slender vine not exceeding a stem diameter of 2 cm.
Twigs and petioles produce a clear exudate. Leaf blades about 3-6 x 1-3 cm, petioles about 0.7-1.5 cm long. A scar or line extends across the twig between the points of attachment of the petioles of each pair of leaves. Small peg-like glands or stipules may be present on this line. About 2-4 colleters (small finger-like glands) present on the upper surface of the midrib near its junction with the petiole. Lateral veins forming fairly distinct loops well inside the blade margin.
Inflorescence an axillary, much-branched panicle up to 10 cm long. Flowers about 2-6 mm diam. Pedicels about 5-10 mm long. Sepals narrowly triangular, about 0.8-1 mm long. Corolla tube much shorter than the lobes. Corolla lobes broadly ovate to elliptic, about 2 x 1-1.5 mm, apex retuse. Corona about 0.5-1 x 1.2 mm. Staminal appendages rounded. Anthers fused together around the style. Pollen aggregated in globular pollinia. Carpels about 0.5-0.8 mm long. Style about 0.4 mm long. Style head (stigma) protruding slightly beyond the tips of the anthers.
Follicles slender, about 60 x 6 mm. Seeds flat, about 8 x 2.5-3 mm. Plumes about 25 mm long.
Features not available.
Occurs in WA, NT and CYP extending down the western coast of Cape York Peninsula to be technically in NEQ. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 150 m. Grows in monsoon forest and gallery forest, sometimes in open forest or near mangroves. Also occurs in Malesia.