Climbing Lignum

Scientific Name:

Muehlenbeckia adpressa

Small plant of Climbing Lignum
Photo: A J Brown

Other Common Names:

Native to coastal southern Australia.

Plant Description:

A prostrate low shrub, 0.4-2 m high, often found scrambling or twining over rocks, fallen timber or other plants. It has slender, reddish-brown stems to 1 m long. Leaves are oblong, ovate or semi-circular, 1.5-6 cm long and hairless, on stalks 3-20 cm long.

Flowers are greenish or yellowish, small and somewhat inconspicuous with females and males on different plants. Flower-heads are 1-9 cm long, leafy and spread along the branches. Fruit is a brown to black, ellipsoid to obovoid nut with three longitudinal ribs and furrows, 2.7-3.0 mm long.

Habitat:

Scattered along the coastline behind beaches and on cliff-tops.

Large scrambling plant of Climbing Lignum
Photo: A J Brown

Leaves of Climbing Lignum
Photo: A J Brown

Flower buds of Climbing Lignum
Photo: A J Brown

Climbing Lignum male flower
Male flowers of Climbing Lignum
Photo: A J Brown

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