Cissus hypoglauca

Water Vine
Cissus hypoglauca - young leaves at Brisbane Water National Park, Australia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Subclass:	Rosidae
Order:	Vitales
Family:	Vitaceae
Genus:	Cissus
Species:	C. hypoglauca
Binomial name
Cissus hypoglauca A.Gray

Cissus hypoglauca, commonly known as Jungle Grape, Water Vine or Five leaf Water Vine, is a common Australian Vine. It is one of the better known climbing plants of the genus Cissus in the grape family. A very common climber in moist areas of eastern Australia, it often colonises large areas after forest damage due to storms, fire or logging.

It was initially described in 1854 by American botanist Asa Gray.

Description

Cissus hypoglauca is a large woody vine. The name water-vine comes from the fact that the woody sections of the vine may be cut into sections and the sap that drips from the sections may be drunk as water. The leaves are palmate, and are usually arranged in a group of five. Leaves elliptic or ovate in shape, slightly toothed or entire. Mid green above and a glaucous shade underneath, and measure 3 to 15 cm (1-6 in) long, 1.5 to 4 cm (0.6-1.6 in) wide. The young leaves are reddish and hairy. Tendrils appear opposite the leaf stalk.

Yellow flowers occur on terminal umbels, mostly in spring and summer. A purple globose fruit matures in the middle of the year. Five leaf Water Vine provides abundant food and shelter for birds and small animals. The stunning blue berries may be eaten raw and provide a delicious watery snack but do leave an acrid aftertaste that can be slightly irritating.

References

• Rainforest Climbing Plants - Williams & Harden, 2000 ISBN 0-85843-293-6
• Plant Net, Cissus hypoglauca http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Cissus~hypoglauca retrieved 21 August 2009
• "Cissus hypoglauca". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. http://www.anbg.gov.au/cgi-bin/apni?taxon_id=15255. 

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  Cissus hypoglauca growing over a creek at Murramarang National Park, Australia

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  young leaves of Cissus hypoglauca at Brisbane Water National Park, Australia