MUEHLENBECKIA AXILLARIS
Polygonaceae
Matted Lignum
A prostrate, wiry plant, rooting at the nodes. Insignificant greenish
flowers and 5mm rounded leaves. A useful screening plant and adaptable and
is found in naturally "benign" habitats or very cold, frosty and damp places.
Prefers heavy soils.
Tas, NSW, Vic, ACT and New Zealand.
CLEMATIS ARISTATA
Ranunculaceae
Clematis
(Male Flowers)
Woody climber scrambling to 15m or higher over shrubs and trees.
Leaves opposite,simple or compound, with 3 large leaflets to 9cm long, 5cm
wide, stalks of leaves and leaflets often acting as tendrils. Flowers
about 4.5cm, creamy white, starry, with 4-7 long narrow segments.
Male and female flowers on separate plants. Male flowers more showy, with
numerous pointed stamens; female flowers with many carpels with leathery styles
persisting in the fruit.
Flowering September-January.
Widespread, especially in lower montane forests and gullies, sometimes in
drier light forest. Easily germinated from seed.
One other Tasmanian species is a climbing plant, C. microphylla,
which is restricted to sand dunes near the north coast. This has leaves divided
into three parts which are themselves divided into three leaflets. The
non-climbing C. gentianoides has similar flowers and is restricted
to dry sites near Hobart and Launceston and near the east coast. The
introduced old man's beard, C.vitalba, is common in settled
areas of the State.
Also Vic, NSW, Qld, SA.
Information courtesy of Rainforest Plants of Tasmania and the Launceston
Field Naturalists Club.
(Developing
seed)
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