Hypserpa laurina
| Laurel-leaf hypserpa | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Ranunculales |
| Family: | Menispermaceae |
| Genus: | Hypserpa |
| Species: | H. laurina
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| Binomial name | |
| Hypserpa laurina | |
| |
| Synonyms[3] | |
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Hypserpa laurina is a slender twining climber in the plant family Menispermaceae. It is native to New Guinea and northeastern Queensland in Australia.
Description[edit]
This species is a small vine with a maximum recorded stem diameter of 10 cm (3.9 in).[4] It has pendulous branches and the leaves are alternate, 3-veined, elliptic, and measure up to 20 by 7.5 cm (7.9 by 3.0 in)[4][5]
Flowers are pale yellow in colour, male flowers measure about 5 mm (0.20 in) diameter, female flowers about 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) diameter.[4]
The fruit is a red globular drupe measuring about 15 by 14 mm (0.6 by 0.6 in)[4][5]
Phenology[edit]
Flowering occurs from July to February, fruits ripen from November to April.[5][6]
Taxonomy[edit]
This plant was first described in 1864 as Selwynia laurina by the German-born Australian botanist Ferdinand von Mueller, who published the name in his book Fragmenta phytographiæ Australiæ.[7][8] In 1910 the German botanist Ludwig Diels reviewed the genus and gave this taxon the new combination Hypserpa laurina, which was published in Adolf Engler's work Das Pflanzenreich: Regni vegetabilis conspectus.[9]
Etymology[edit]
The genus name Hypserpa is derived from a combination of the Ancient Greek words hypsos, "high", and herpo, "to creep", and refers to the habit of this plant reaching the forest canopy. The species epithet laurina refers to the similarity of the leaves to those of plants in the family Lauraceae.[6]
Distribution and habitat[edit]
Hypserpa laurina grows in rainforest on the east coast of northern Australia, from Airlie Beach in north Queensland, northwards to Cape York Peninsula and then to New Guinea. It can be found at altitudes from sea level to about 1000 m.[4][10]
Ecology[edit]
Fruits of the laurel-leaf hypserpa are eaten by cassowaries and fruit pigeons.[4]
Conservation[edit]
This species is listed by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science as least concern.[1] As of 21 November 2022[update], it has not been assessed by the IUCN.
Gallery[edit]
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Habit -
Foliage -
Inflorescence -
Close-up of flower -
Leaf venation
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Species profile—Hypserpa laurina". Queensland Department of Environment and Science. Queensland Government. 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
- ^ "Hypserpa laurina". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
- ^ a b "Hypserpa laurina (F.Muell.) Diels". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Hypserpa laurina". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
- ^ a b c Forman, L.L., ed. (2020). "Hypserpa laurina". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
- ^ a b Cooper, Wendy; Cooper, William T. (June 2004). Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Clifton Hill, Victoria, Australia: Nokomis Editions. p. 296. ISBN 978-0-9581742-1-3.
- ^ Mueller, Ferdinand von (1864). Fragmenta phytographiæ Australiæ (in Latin). Vol. 4. Melbourne: Joannis Ferres. p. 153. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ "Hypserpa laurina". International Plant Names Index (IPNI). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
- ^ Diels, L. (1910). "Menispermaceae". Das Pflanzenreich: regni vegetablilis conspectus (in Latin). 46: 209. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
- ^ "Search: species: Hypserpa laurina | Occurrence records | The Australasian Virtual Herbarium". Australasian Virtual Herbarium. Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
External links[edit]
- View a map of herbarium collections of this species at the Australasian Virtual Herbarium
- View observations of this species on iNaturalist
- View images of this species on Flickriver