Motherwellia

Motherwellia haplosciadea
Herbarium specimen with flowers
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Apiales
Family: Araliaceae
Subfamily: Aralioideae
Genus: Motherwellia
F.Muell.
Species:
M. haplosciadea
Binomial name
Motherwellia haplosciadea
F.Muell.
Synonyms
  • Aralia motherwellii F.Muell.

Motherwellia is a monotypic genus (a genus containing a single species) of plant in the ginseng and ivy family Araliaceae. The sole species in the genus is Motherwellia haplosciadea, a vine that is endemic to Queensland, Australia.

Description

Motherwellia haplosciadea is a small woody root climber with stem diameters up to 7 cm (2.8 in) having been recorded. It has trifoliate leaves arranged alternately on the stems. The leaflets are shiny and may reach 14 cm (5.5 in) long and 6 cm (2.4 in) wide, and the petiolules may be absent or up to 10 mm (0.4 in) long. The dark red flowers have five petals and are about 10 mm (0.4 in) wide. They are produced in terminal umbels. The fruit is a pink or red drupe measuring about 9 mm (0.4 in) wide and long, slightly flattened. It contains two brown seeds about 6 mm (0.2 in) long.

Phenology

Flowering occurs between January and July, fruit appear from December to July.

Distribution and habitat

This species grows in rainforest, often on soils derived from basalt or granite. The natural range is from the area around Ngalba Bulal National Park (formerly Cedar Bay National Park), south to Paluma Range National Park, at altitudes from about 140 to 1,400 m (460 to 4,590 ft).

References

  1. ↑ "Motherwellia F.Muell". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  2. ↑ "Motherwellia F.Muell". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2026. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  3. ↑ "Motherwellia haplosciadea F.Muell". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  4. 1 2 "Motherwellia haplosciadea F.Muell". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2026. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  5. ↑ F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Motherwellia haplosciadea F.Muell". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8. Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  6. ↑ Mueller, Ferdinand von (1870). Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae (in Latin). Vol. 7. Melbourne: Joannis Ferres. pp. 107–108. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 Cooper, Wendy; Cooper, William T. (June 2004). Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Clifton Hill, Victoria, Australia: Nokomis Editions. p. 64. ISBN 978-0-9581742-1-3.
  8. ↑ "Search: species: Motherwellia haplosciadea | Occurrence records". Australasian Virtual Herbarium. Australian Government. Retrieved 22 May 2026.