Long Grass Nature Refuge
Fauna and Flora Detail
WildMan
Wildlife Management System
© Copyright Long Grass Nature Refuge,2011
Return
Help
Scientific Name
Common Name
Type
Notes
Vigorous climber with long, dark brown roughened stems, growing in tall eucalypt forests, microphyll and notophyll closed forests, and along scrubby watercourses. Found from Brisbane to the Gympie district and inland to the Blackall Ranges, but also extends from SE NSW through to NE Qld, as well as to NT, WA and Lord Howe Is. Leaves ovate to 12cm, dark green and also roughened, and either entire or having a few blunt teeth near the tip; juvenile leaves coarsely toothed. Flowers unisexual, small and greenish, with male flowers occurring in small cylindrical spikes and female flowers in globular heads. Fruit an ovoid, bright red berry, hard. Ripe Nov to Dec. Edible, raw or cooked. Propagate from fresh seed, which germinates readily within 3 weeks; mature young growth would be worth trying as cutting material. Traditional aboriginal uses included using the inner bark to make a strong string for dillies, fishing nets and dugong nets. Lengths of the vine stem were used to strengthen the sides of bark canoes. Related to figs and thorny cockspur, and previously known as Malaisia scandens.
Photos