Woody vine

A woody vine growing into the canopy, widely distributed in subtropical and dry rainforest. Alternate leaves with faintly toothed margins. Greenish small flower (to 5 mm) on hairy, terminal panicles followed by yellow-orange fruit in leathery capsule to 9 mm wide splitting to reveal small angular seeds with orange-yellow arils. Ripe in April-May. Considered too large and vigorous for small gardens but useful otherwise for established rainforest plantings. Propagate from fresh seed with the aril removed.

Denhamia celastroides. Photo: Robert Whyte

Resemblance

This plant resembles Denhamia celastroides. In Walton Bridge Reserve they are growing side by side. This photo is of a specimen found in a revegetation planting behind the soccer oval in The Gap, near Glenaffric Street.

Photo: Robert Whyte

Seed collecting and propagation

Yellow-orange fruit in leathery capsule to 9 mm wide splitting to reveal small angular seeds with orange-yellow arils. Ripe in April-May. Seed must be sown fresh as it has a short viability. Open pods in warm soapy water, rinse and then sow into moist propagation media. Keep warm. Germination begins within 2 weeks.