Parsonsia

Silkpod is of of the rainforest vines that has a juvenile growth phase, during which it looks quite different to its adult form.

Unlike most seedlings, it grows away from light after germination. This tends to lead the growing stem to a tree. When it finds one, it grows up the trunk, clinging by rootlets at every node, as in the photo opposite.

This is the juvenile phase of the plant. Once it has climbed into the canopy it changes into the adult form, shown flowering below. The flowers are followed by long fruits that liberate silky-tasselled seeds - hence the name silkpod.