Eustrephus latifolius
R. Br. ex Ker Gawl.
Wombat Berry, Orange Vine
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Summary
Source: WikipediaA perennial climbing vine growing to 5 m with hermaphroditic flowers appearing in June. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils. Grows in semi-shade and prefers moist conditions. Suitable for mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline soils.
Description
An evergreen vine. It forms a tuber at the base. This is 1-3 cm long. It climbs to a height of 10 m. It can spread over the ground. The stem is slender, wiry and twining and forms many branches. The leaves are oval or sword shaped and taper towards the tip. They are 6-10 cm long and have prominent veins. Sometimes the leaves are wavy along the edge. The flowers are white or pale pink and have 3 petals and 3 petal-like sepals. The flowers are clustered in the axils of the upper leaves. They are bell shaped. The fruit are round, orange berries. These split to reveal the shiny black seeds. The fruit are 1 cm across.
Edible Uses
The orange fruit can be eaten raw, though it offers very little flesh — each berry is around 10mm in diameter. The roots are juicy and sweet-flavoured but require considerable effort to dig up, as the small tubers they bear grow up to 3cm long. It has been suggested that these tubers could likely be enlarged through cultivation.
Traditional Uses
The fleshy root tubers are eaten. They can be eaten raw or cooked. The fruit can be eaten. It is the white flesh around the seed that is eaten. They should probably be roasted before eating.
Medicinal Uses
None known.
Distribution
A tropical plant. It does best in light moist soil. It needs a protected and partly shaded position. It cannot tolerate drought but can withstand a light frost. Normally the temperature needs to be above 5°C. Seeds need a temperature above 13-16°C before planting.
Where It Grows
Australia*, Hawaii, Indonesia, New Caledonia, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG, SE Asia, USA,
Cultivation
Plants are grown from seed. Seed only germinates irregularly. Plants can be pruned after flowering. Plants can be divided after fruiting to give more plants to regrow.
Propagation
Sow seed in spring in a greenhouse. Prick out seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle and grow on under glass for at least their first winter. Plant out into permanent positions in early summer. Can also be propagated by division in spring.
Other Uses
None known.
Notes
There is only one Eustrephus species. It is to be included in the Laxmanniaceae.
Nutrition
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuber | 89.2 | — | — | 1.8 | — | — | 15.9 | 0.5 |
Synonyms
Also Known As
Buah beri oranye
References (34)
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