Species information Abo ut Reso urces Hom e A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Cayratia trifolia Click on images to enlarge Family Vitaceae Scientific Name Cayratia trifolia (L.) Domin Domin, K. (1928) Bibliotheca Botanica 89(4): 924. Flowers. Copyright R.L. Barrett Common name Cayratia, Threeleaf; Native Grape; Threeleaf Cayratia; Slender Water Vine; Vine, Slender Water; Grape, Native Stem Vine stem diameters to 7 cm recorded. Leaves Leaves and flowers. Copyright R.L. Barrett Stipules triangular, about 2-5 mm long, scarious and caducous. Lateral leaflets usually have a single lobe on the outer edge, i.e. the side away from the middle leaflet. Middle leaflet usually longer than the lateral leaflets. Leaflet blades about 3-9 x 2.5-9 cm, lateral leaflet stalks about 0.3-0.5 cm long. Stalk of the middle leaflet up to 1.5 cm long. Most hairs of the underside of the leaflet blades tend to be hooked particularly on the midrib. 'Oil dots' readily visible with a lens. Tendrils leaf-opposed, compound with several branches, each branch ending in an expanded structure resembling an haustorium which grows in cracks and crevices. 'Oak grain' in the twigs. Flowers Inflorescence leaf-opposed or terminal. Flowers about 4 mm diam. Calyx cup-shaped, about 0.2 mm long, lobes absent. Petals about 2.5 mm long, apices hooded, outer surface clothed in hairs. Staminal filaments about 1.5 mm long. Disk lobed, pale yellow, about 0.8 mm high. Style pyramidal. Ovules two per locule. Tendril. Copyright R.L. Barrett Fruit Fruits depressed globular, about 8-10 x 10-19 mm. Seeds about 5-7 x 2.5-5 mm. Outer testa soft and greenish brown, inner testa brown and very hard, surface rugose. Embryo about 0.75-1 mm long, cotyledons slightly wider but shorter than the radicle. Seedlings Cotyledons elliptic to ovate, about 25-26 x 16-17 mm. First leaf simple and toothed or bifoliolate tending to Fruit. Copyright R.L. Barrett trifoliolate. Second leaf trifoliolate. Lower surface clothed in hairs, upper surface glabrous except for the midrib. At the tenth leaf stage: middle leaflet blade about 3.5-4 x 2.2-2.7 cm, stalk about 0.8-1 cm long. Lateral leaflet blades about 2.5-3.5 x 2-2.5 cm, bases oblique, stalks about 0.2-0.6 cm long. Seed germination time 20 to 192 days. Distribution and Ecology Occurs in WA, NT, CYP, NEQ and CEQ. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 750 m. Often grows in open forest climbing up the stems of trees with persistent flaky bark but grows as well in vine thicket and monsoon forest. Also occurs in Asia, Malesia and the Pacific islands. Fruit. Copyright R.L. Barrett Natural History & Notes This species has been used medicinally in India. Cribb (1981). Vine X Synonyms Cissus trifolia (L.) K.Schum., Fl. Kaiser Wilh. Land : 71(1889). Columella trifolia (L.) Merr., Philipp. J. Sci. 11: 132(1916). Cissus acutifolia Poir., Encycl. Supp. 1: 106(1810). Vitis trifolia L., Species Leaves and fruits. Copyright CSIRO Plantarum 2: 203(1753), Type: Habitat in India. Cissus cinerea Lam., Tabl. Encycl. 1: 332(1791), Type: Lamk. Herb.; holo: P. Cissus carnosa Lam., Encyclopedie Methodique, Botanique 1: 31(1783), Type: On trouve cette plante dans lInde. Vitis psoraliifolia F.Muell., Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 2: 75(1861), Type: In nemoribus ripariis ad fluvium Victoriae. Syntypes: K, GH, MEL. Cissus obtusifolia Poir., Encycl. Suppl. 1: 106(1810), Type: Herb. Lamk.; holo: P. Cissus psoraliifolia (F.Muell.) Planch., Monographiae Phanerogamarum 5 : 567(1887). Cissus crenata Vahl, Symb. Bot. 3: 19(1794), Type: Wall. Cat. 6021; holo:K. Cayratia carnosa (Lam.) Gagnep., Notul. Syst. (Paris) 1: 347(1911). RFK Code 2171 CC-BY Australian Tropical Herbarium unless otherwise indicated in the images. Leaves and fruit. Copyright CSIRO Leaves and fruit. Copyright R.L. Barrett Scale bar 10mm. Copyright CSIRO Cotyledon stage, epigeal germination. Copyright CSIRO 10th leaf stage. Copyright CSIRO Vine stem bark and vine stem trsansverse section. Copyright CSIRO.