''Leichhardtia suaveolens'',
synonym
A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are all ...
''Marsdenia suaveolens'',
commonly known as the scented milk vine, is a small vine found in
New South Wales,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. It is found in a variety of habitats in relatively high rainfall areas, from
Bega to
Port Macquarie. The
original specimen was collected at
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
on 11 May 1802.
Description
''Leichhardtia suaveolens'' grows as a vine in forest or small upright shrub in heathland,
reaching 1 m (3 ft) high.
[ The stem is up to in diameter, and the internodes are up to .][ The plant exudes a white milky sap when cut or damaged. The (oppositely arranged) leaves arise in pairs off the stem.][ spear-shaped (lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate) leaves have rounded bases and measure long by wide. The leaf margins roll downwards.][ and are across and long. They are arranged in umbels. The peduncles are long. Fruiting takes place 2–3 months after flowering.][ The seed pods are narrow with a tapered tip, and are cm long by wide.][ They open to release the feathery seeds from August to January. The seeds are then blown away by the wind.][
File:Vine Chatswood West.JPG, Closeup of flower
File:Vine Chatswood West2.JPG, Leaves
]
Taxonomy
The specific epithet ''suaveolens'' is from Latin, and it refers to the uniquely sweet scented flowers. In 1810, this species first appeared in scientific literature, in the '' Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae'', authored by the prolific Scottish botanist, Robert Brown.[
]
Distribution and habitat
The species ranges from Port Macquarie to Bega in eastern New South Wales.[ It grows in wet sclerophyll forest in association with such species as turpentine ('' Syncarpia glomulifera''), Sydney peppermint ('']Eucalyptus piperita
''Eucalyptus piperita'', commonly known as Sydney peppermint and urn-fruited peppermint, is a small to medium forest tree native to New South Wales, Australia.
Description
It has grey, rough and finely fibrous bark on its trunk, but its branche ...
'') and blackbutt ('' E. pilularis''), generally on sandy alluvial soils.[ It is also found in dry sclerophyll forest with red bloodwood ('' Corymbia gummifera''), stiff-leaf wattle ('']Acacia obtusifolia
''Acacia obtusifolia'', commonly known as stiff-leaf wattle or blunt-leaf wattle, is a perennial tree in subfamily Mimosoideae of family Fabaceae.
Description
''Acacia obtusifolia'' is an upright or spreading perennial tree which grows from 1. ...
'') and paperbark tea-tree ('' Leptospermum trinervium''), and can be found in rainforest gullies.[ The yearly rainfall is over 800 mm.][
]
Ecology
''Leichhardtia suaveolens'' resprouts after bushfire, and has been recorded setting fruit five months after a burn.[
''Leichhardtia suaveolens'' is foraged upon by caterpillars of the common crow ('']Euploea core
File:Euploea core at thachangad.jpg
''Euploea core'', the common crow, is a common butterfly found in South Asia to Australia. In India it is also sometimes referred to as the common Indian crow, and in Australia as the Australian crow. It belon ...
'').
Cultivation
In 1820, '' The Botanical Register'' reported that ''Leichhardtia suaveolens'' (then known as ''Marsdenia suaveolens'') flowered in the United Kingdom in Colville Nursery in Chelsea. The flower's fragrance was greatly praised and compared to that of ''Heliotropium peruvianum'' (now '' Heliotropium arborescens'').
References
{{Taxonbar, from1=Q123470599, from2=Q6773255
Asclepiadoideae
Flora of New South Wales
Plants described in 1810
Vines