Parsonsia straminea

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Parsonsia straminea
Parsonsia straminea with flower beetle (5273204304).jpg
Common silkpod
Parsonsia straminea parsonsia2 (32276859666).jpg
Close-up of the flower
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Genus: Parsonsia
Species:
P. straminea
Binomial name
Parsonsia straminea
Parsonsia straminea Dist Map36.png
Occurrence data from AVH
Synonyms [2]
  • Lyonsia stramineaR.Br.
  • Lyonsia reticulataF.Muell.
  • Parsonsia reticulata(F.Muell.) F.Muell.

Parsonsia straminea, commonly known as common silkpod or monkey rope, is a woody vine of the dogbane family, Apocynaceae. [1] [3] It occurs in the states of New South Wales and Queensland in Australia. [3]

Contents

Taxonomy

Prolific botanist Robert Brown collected the species between October and November 1804 from the Hunter and Williams Rivers in New South Wales. [4] He described the species as Lyonsia straminea in his 1810 work Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen . Brown noted that it was closely related to Parsonsia , differing only in the structure of the capsule. The genus name commemorated mathematician and botanist Israel Lyons, who had published a survey of Cambridge flora. [5] The species name straminea is Latin for "straw-coloured". [6] Ferdinand von Mueller reclassified it in Parsonsia in 1868. [1]

Description

Parsonsia straminea is a vine, whose woody stems can reach 9 cm (3+1⁄2 in) in diameter, [4] and extend for 20 m (66 ft) into the tree canopy. [7] The species climbs by twining, aided by its adventitious roots. [3] The plant exudes a clear pale brown sap when cut or damaged. [4] The leathery adult leaves are arranged oppositely (arising in pairs) along the stems and are yellowish green on their upper surface and pale grey-green (glaucous) on the undersurface. They are 4–24 cm (1+5⁄8–9+1⁄2 in) long by 1.5–8 cm (5⁄8–3+1⁄8 in) wide—generally larger if growing in more shade—and elliptic to oblong-ovate in shape, with a round or heart-shaped (cordate) base. [3] The fragrant pale yellow flowers are produced in panicles from November to June, peaking over February. [8] These are followed by slender pods which are 10–20 cm (4–8 in) in length, [3] which split to release the seed from September to December. The feathery seeds are carried by the wind and dispersed. [8]

Distribution and habitat

Parsonsia straminea occurs along Australia's east coast, from northeastern Queensland south to southern New South Wales as far south as Mount Gulaga. [3] [4] It grows in shady spots in rainforest and rainforest margins, as well as floodplains, on fertile basalt- and sandstone-based soils. [8]

Ecology

Parsonsia straminea is foraged upon by caterpillars of the common crow ( Euploea core ) and the Cairns hamadryad ( Tellervo zoilus subsp. zoilus). [4]

Cultivation

Parsonsia straminea can grow in a range of soil types and aspects. It can be used to cover fences and screens, though could smother nearby plants. It can be propagated by cuttings or layering. [6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Parsonsia straminea". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. Retrieved 13 April 2009.[ permanent dead link ]
  2. ↑ "Parsonsia straminea (R.Br.) F.Muell". Plants of the World Online . Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2025. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Parsonsia straminea". PlantNET – New South Wales Flora Online. Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 F.A.Zich; B.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan. "Parsonsia straminea". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants (RFK8). Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government . Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  5. ↑ Brown, Robert (1810). Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen (in Latin). London, United Kingdom: Richard Taylor and Company. p. 466.
  6. 1 2 Elliot, Rodger W.; Jones, David L.; Blake, Trevor (1997). Encyclopaedia of Australian Plants Suitable for Cultivation:Volume 7 – N-Po. Port Melbourne: Lothian Press. p. 175. ISBN   0-85091-634-8.
  7. ↑ Fairley, Alan; Moore, Philip (2000). Native Plants of the Sydney District:An Identification Guide (2nd ed.). Kenthurst, New South Wales: Kangaroo Press. p. 272. ISBN   0-7318-1031-7.
  8. 1 2 3 Benson, Doug; McDougall, Lyn (1993). "Ecology of Sydney Plant Species Part 1: Ferns, fern-allies, cycads, conifers and dicotyledon families Acanthaceae to Asclepiadaceae" (PDF). Cunninghamia. 3 (2): 257–422 [397]. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 March 2016.
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