Comesperma volubile explained

Comesperma volubile, commonly known as love creeper,[1] is a slender climber in the family Polygalaceae. It is a twining plant with linear leaves and pea-like blue flowers.[2]

Description

Comesperma voluble is a twining creeper to about high on rare occasion a small shrublet with smooth, angled stems. There are few leaves, linear to oval-shaped, long, wide, lower surface pale, margins curved or rolled under. The flowers are in lateral racemes long, the sepals are separated, outer three broadly oval-shaped, about long, wings oval-shaped to nearly orb-shaped, long, keel darker, long, upper petals egg-shaped to oblong. Flowering occurs mainly August to November and the fruit is a narrow wedge-shaped capsule, long.[2]

Taxonomy and naming

Comersperma voluble was first formally described in 1806 by Jacques Labillardière, and the description was published in Novæ Hollandiæ plantarum specimen.[3] The specific epithet (volubile) means "twining".[4]

Distribution and habitat

Love creeper occurs in heathland and forest in the states of Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, in Australia.[5]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Comesperma volubile . VIC FLORA-Flora of Victoria . Royal Botanic Garden Victoria.
  2. Web site: Comesperma volubile . 2009-09-17 . PlantNET - New South Wales Flora Online . Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia.
  3. 24, t. 163. 2. 17. Ex typographia Dominæ Huzard. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40882007.
  4. Book: Sharr . Francis Aubi . George . Alex . Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings . 2019 . Four Gables Press . Kardinya, WA . 9780958034180 . 347 . 3rd.
  5. Book: Wild Plants of Victoria (database) . 2009 . Viridans Biological Databases & Department of Sustainability and Environment .