Common name: Hairy Apple Berry
Billardiera scandens Sm. APNI* Synonyms: Billardiera scandens var. scandens Sm. APNI*
Billardiera scandens var. sericata E.M.Benn. APNI*
Billardiera angustifolia DC. APNI*
Description: Mostly small shrubs up to 0.5 m high; new shoots densely silky hairy, older surfaces scabrid.
Adult leaves alternate, narrowly ovate, hairy; petiole 1–4 mm long.
Inflorescences solitary or with paired flowers; peduncles 5–12 mm long, hairy, angular, down-turned but not nodding. Sepals unequal, 6–10 mm long, acicular, almost linear, yellow with tinge of pink. Petals 16–20 mm long, clawed, bright yellow, becoming pinker at margin with age; apex hairy, not overly recurved. Stamens equal; anthers versatile, white. Ovary silky hairy; style much shorter than ovary; stigma knobby.
Fruits indehiscent, berry-like, obovate to oblong in outline, 20–28 mm long. Seeds many, red-brown.
Flowering: Flowers mainly in summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Occurs from south-eastern Qld to near the NSW-Vic border. Common in open eucalypt forest and woodland, particularly at higher altitudes.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT, CT, ST, NWS, CWS, SWS
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. Tas.
The fruit is edible. Varieties are recognized, but as they intergrade in N.S.W. they are sometimes difficult to identify satisfactorily.
Text by B.J. Conn
Taxon concept: L.W. Cayzer, M.D. Crisp & I.R.N. Telford (2004)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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