Scientific Name: Trophis scandens (was Malaisia scandens)

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  • Pronunciation:
    TRO-fis SCAN-dens
  • Common Name:
    Burny (Burney) Vine, Smarty Smarty, Fire Vine.
  • Derivation:
    Trophis: ||scandens: L. scandere - to climb
  • Type:
    Vine , Climber. Strong rambling creeper.
  • Family:
    MORACEAE
  • Flowers:
    Cream, 20 mm, spring
  • Fruit:
    Red, 10 mm
  • Vegetation Type:
    Rainforest,
  • Species List:
    Bush food, Craft, FI Podberscek, Wooroi Day Use Area Tracks, BSDoonan, Fraser Island, Janet, Mill Point, Stratford Park, NNP Tanglewood, NNP Palm Grove, Upper Yandina Creek,
Cultural Notes

TAKE CARE! Some information about bush foods and medicines may be anecdotal. Correct identification and preparation is essential:

Very tough Inner bark used for string for dillybags and nets to catch dugongs.

Bush food: seeds eaten raw or cooked.

The fruit is edible and may be eaten raw or cooked

Identification Notes

Leaves: simple, alternate, variable in size and shape. Adult leaves entire or with only a few small teeth towards apex. Juvenile leaves regularly toothed or lobed. ||Long spreading shoots with rough, sandpapery surface. Lenticels present||Fruit: red drupes, clustered on an expanded receptacle, each drupe surrounded at base by a number of bracteoles||Milky latex usually present in stems and petioles.||

Associated Fauna

Butterfly host plant: Darwin brown crow, Eastern brown crow.

Landscaping Notes

Propagation is usually from seed but cuttings may also be successful||Successfully propagated by Barung Landcare||