Prostrate twiner

Vigorous, scrambling vine capable of forming dense mats. Rusty stems to 4 metres with silky hairs. Common on sandy and stony soils throughout Brisbane. Leaves alternate, trifoliolate (in groups of 3). Flowers are dark red or purple in groups of 2-12. Flowers are food for Lewin’s Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater and Eastern Spinebill. A hardy plant and prefers full or partial sun. Plant and leaves can be hard to tell apart from weeds in the Fabaceae family (such as Glycine and Siratro) unless it is flowering.

Red flowers. Photo: Robert Whyte

Seed collecting and propagation

Flat seed pods with dense silky hairs up to 10 mm long. Collect in summer. Remove seed from pods. Drop seed in boiling water for 30 seconds before refreshing in iced water. Germinate in 10 to 21 days or longer.

Leaves. Photo: Robert Whyte