''Parsonsia brownii'', commonly known as twining silkpod or mountain silkpod, is a woody

vine A vine (Latin ''vīnea'' "grapevine", "vineyard", from ''vīnum'' "wine") is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent (that is, climbing) stems, lianas or runners. The word ''vine'' can also refer to such stems or runners themselv ...

of the dogbane family,

Apocynaceae Apocynaceae (from ''Apocynum'', Greek for "dog-away") is a family of flowering plants that includes trees, shrubs, herbs, stem succulents, and vines, commonly known as the dogbane family, because some taxa were used as dog poison Members of the ...

. It occurs in

rainforest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfores ...

in the states of

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

and

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

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 ...

Description

The species climbs to 10 or more metres in height and has a watery sap. The glossy

leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...

are lanceolate, up to 20 centimetres long and 4 centimetres wide, and taper towards the tip. Juvenile leaves are narrower and new growth is down-covered. Small, sweetly scented yellow and brown flowers are produced in loose terminal

panicle A panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a panicle are of ...

s between August and December. These are followed by long, slender pods which are 5 to 10 centimetres in length.

Taxonomy

The species was first formally described as ''Lyonsia brownii'' by botanist

James Britten James Britten (3 May 1846 – 8 October 1924) was an English botanist. Biography Born in Chelsea, London, he moved to High Wycombe in 1865 to begin a medical career. However he became increasingly interested in botany, and began writing paper ...

in ''

Journal of Botany, British and Foreign ''Journal of Botany, British and Foreign'' is a monthly journal that was published from 1863 to 1942, and founded by Berthold Carl Seemann Berthold Carl Seemann (25 February 1825, in Hanover, Germany – 10 October 1871, in Nicaragua, Centra ...

'' in 1907. The species was placed in the genus ''

Parsonsia ''Parsonsia'' is a genus of woody vines in the family Apocynaceae. Species occur throughout Indomalaya, Australasia and Melanesia. Description The leaves are opposite, the shape and size of juvenile leaves often bearing little resemblance to th ...

'' by French botanist

Marcel Pichon Marcel Pichon (1921–1954) was a French botanist specialising in Apocynaceae. Publications * 1948. ''Classification des apocynacées. 1. Carissées et ambelaniées'' * 1948. ''Classification des apocynacées : . IX. Rauvolfiées, alstoniées, ...

in 1950 in '' Notulae Systematicae''. The names ''Lysonia straminea'' and ''

Parsonsia straminea ''Parsonsia straminea'', commonly known as common silkpod or monkey rope, is a woody vine of the dogbane family, Apocynaceae. It occurs in the states of New South Wales and Queensland in Australia. Taxonomy Prolific botanist Robert Brown collec ...

'' have been misapplied to this species in the past.

Cultivation

The species is not commonly cultivated and is considered too vigorous for most gardens. It requires cool, moist conditions. Plants are commercially available from local indigenous plant nurseries.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q7140062 brownii Gentianales of Australia Flora of New South Wales Flora of Tasmania Flora of Victoria (state)