Cissus antarctica | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Vitales |
Family: | Vitaceae |
Genus: | Cissus |
Species: | C. antarctica
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Binomial name | |
Cissus antarctica |
Cissus antarctica (synonym Cissus oblongata[1]), called kangaroo vine, is one of the best known species of the genus Cissus in the family of Vitaceae. It is a climbing plant, a vine, and comes from Australia.
It is a climbing plant with new growths that are rusty in colour, and often become glabrescent with age, with simple or branched tendrils. The leaves are simple, ovate to ovate-oblong, mostly 4-12 cm long, 20-50 mm wide, the apex pointed, the base mostly rounded, the margins toothed all over the surface, the upper surface is glabrous, the underside generally rusty and hairy with petiole 1-3 cm long.
The inflorescences are dense, 1-3 cm long. Petals 2 mm long, yellowish. The fruit is globose, 15 mm in diameter and purple.
It is found in warmer rainforest, mainly in coastal regions north of Tathra in New South Wales and inland on the Liverpool Range, to Queensland.
Cissus antarctica is often used as a vine in subtropical climates, such as California, as an ornamental plant in gardens.
Kangaroo vine also is a popular interior or houseplant, a well adapted plant, even in subdued light. It does not do well above 15 °C, especially when exposed to central heating, which can cause the leaves to drop.[2]