Pothos longipes

Schott

Pothos, Candlestick vine

Araceae Edible: Fruit 1,656 iNaturalist observations

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iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Summary

Pothos longipes is a climbing plant of the family Araceae native to the warmer rainforests of eastern Australia. It was first described in 1856 by the Austrian botanist Heinrich Wilhelm Schott. It ranges from Boorganna Nature Reserve in the Mid North Coast of New South Wales to tropical Queensland. It grows on the trunks of trees with a climbing or hemi-epiphytic habit. An attractive plant with interesting flowers and bright red fruit.

Description

A climber or vine with roots developing from the stem. It covers rocks and tree trunks. The leaves are made up of a tip section and a thick leaf stalk. The leaves are feather like. The leaf is 2-7 cm long and the leaf stalk is 1-12 cm long. The flowers are pale and on a fleshy spike. The fruit are 13-20 mm long and occur in bunches at the ends of the plant. They are bright red. There are 1-3 seeds and these are 9-12 mm long. The flesh is edible.

Edible Uses

The flesh around the seeds is eaten raw or roasted.

Traditional Uses

The flesh around the seed is eaten raw or roasted.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

A tropical plant. They grow naturally in the rainforest of NE Queensland and into New South Wales, in Australia. It grows from tropical to warm temperate regions. Adelaide Botanical Gardens. In tropical Queensland it grows from sea level to 1040 m altitude.

Where It Grows

Australia*,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seed or cuttings.

Notes

There are about 50-70 Pothos species.

Synonyms

Pothos australasicus F. Muell.Pothos brownii Domin.Pothos loureiri Hook. & Arn.

References (16)

Aroideae 23, t. 47. 1856-1857
Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 827
Cooper W & Cooper W T, 1994, Fruits of the Rain Forest. RD Press p 234
Cooper, W. and Cooper, W., 2004, Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Nokomis Editions, Victoria, Australia. p 61
Cribb, A.B. & J.W., 1976, Wild Food in Australia, Fontana. p 68

Show all 16 references

Edible and Useful Native Plants (off internet)
Elliot, W.R., & Jones, D.L., 1997, Encyclopedia of Australian Plants suitable for cultivation. Vol 7. Lothian. p 448
Jackes, B.R., 2001, Plants of the Tropics. Rainforest to Heath. An Identification Guide. James Cook University. p 41
Jones D, L, 1986, Ornamental Rainforest Plants in Australia, Reed Books, p 297
Jones, D.L. & Gray, B., 1977, Australian Climbing Plants. Reed. p 58, 60, 136
Morley, B.D., & Toelken, H.R., (Eds), 1983, Flowering Plants in Australia. Rigby. p 399
Nicholson, N & H., 1996, Australian Rainforest Plants 2, Terania Rainforest Publishing. NSW. p 51
Pearson, S. & A., 1992, Rainforest Plants of Eastern Australia. Kangaroo Press p 170
Ratcliffe D & P., 1987, Australian Native Plants for Indoors. Little Hills press. p 121, 120
Ryan, M. (Ed.), 2003, Wild Plants of Greater Brisbane. Queensland Museum. p 232
Townsend, K., 1994, Across the Top. Gardening with Australian Plants in the tropics. Society for Growing Australian Plants, Townsville Branch Inc. p 321