Pararistolochia deltantha 080101-1765
Sydney Botanic Gardens, in the Pyramid glasshouse (Australian
natives).
This seems to be in flower every time I visit the Pyramid. Pararistolochia is distinguished from Aristolochia by its indehiscent fruit and 3-lobed flower. This species occurs in
rainforest in far north-east Queensland, where it is a high-climbing
liana.
Comments and faves
sanxia_plum added this photo to their favorites. (38 months ago)
Tony Rodd (33 months ago | reply)
But the flowers I saw another time turned out to be of a different species, P. australopithecurus. They are apparently growing mixed together! See . . .
阿猛 (31 months ago | reply)
Wow...nice shot
....it's a pity that I can't have the seeds to plant...
plant.nerd (29 months ago | reply)
I think your flower shots above are not P. laheyana as the leaves are quite different to those in your shot lacking the deeply lobed base and having a shiny less veiny texture the flowers are also not as three lobed see my photograph of P. laheyana in the wild in Springbrook NP here www.flickr.com/photos/27799025@N04/4241330150 /
plant.nerd (29 months ago | reply)
Also see my photograph of P. australopithecurus fruit and foliage from Mt Bartle Frere (Bellenden Ker Range) the leaves are similar to your shot here www.flickr.com/photos/27799025@N04/4199390879 /
P. laheyana has a very narrow leaf with an unlobed base
Tony Rodd (29 months ago | reply)
I was in the Pyramid glasshouse only two days ago and discovered that these two species were not growing mixed together but, rather, a few metres apart. Moreover, both are now labelled with their correct names.
Using the detailed treatment of Aristolochiaceae in Flora of Australia vol. 2 (2007) I find myself in no doubt that my pictures above are now correctly captioned.
Plant.nerd, I am grateful for your interest. I always take seriously any question raised concerning identification (though sometimes slow to respond, due to time required to investigate).
plant.nerd (29 months ago | reply)
That makes more sense now as P. laheyana used to be regarded as a form of P. deltantha while P. australopithecurus has those amazing flowers. Good work Tony sorting that out.
Kris Kupsch (23 months ago | reply)
I think you will find P. australopithecurus is more so cauliflorous or ramiflorous as deltantha is more axillary, I have seen australopithecurus flowering out of the ground from horizontal stems.
Kris Kupsch (23 months ago | reply)
and the leaves of deltantha adhere to your clothing. Ill check my australopithecurus plants, but I dont think they do that.