Eustrephus latifolius

Location & distribution maps

Phylogeny & links to associated information:

Wikipedia links:       Angiosperms > Monocots > Asparagales > Asparagaceae > Lomandroideae> Eustrephus  latifolius 

Other links:     

Plant  information

Common name:               Wombat Berry

Conservation status:   Least concern

Etymology:   

• Eustrephus, from Greek, eu meaning well and strepho, to twist,

• Latifolius:   broad-leaved

Flowers:                  

• Flowers are pink to mauve or white

• The yellow-orange, globose, capsules of 1–2 cm diameter contain numerous black seeds set in a white aril

• The variation in the shapes of the leaves has resulted in the creation of numerous infraspecific taxa over the years, none of which are recognised by most present-day systematists

Fruit:                         

Leaves:         

• They have leaves with lamina variable in shape, elliptic to linear, 3–10 cm long and 3–35 mm wide

• All leaf veins are equally distinct

Stem & branches:     

Roots:         

Habit:        

• It is the sole species of evergreen vines which grow naturally in Malesia, the Pacific Islands and eastern Australia

Habitat:   

• They grow in sclerophyll forest, woodland, heathlands, shrublands, gallery forest and on the margins of and in rainforests

Distribution:                  

•  Is the sole species of evergreen vine which grows naturally in Malesia, the Pacific Islands and eastern Australia

Additional notes:     

• Taxonomy

  • Eustrephus is a monotypic genus in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Lomandroideae

• Uses

  • The tubers are eaten baked, and have an earthy sweet flavour

  • The 1889 book 'The Useful Native Plants of Australia’ records that Eustrephus latifolius is a "climber produces sweet though only small tubers, which, however, are probably capable of enlargement through culture (Mueller)."

Sources of information:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eustrephus (2023)