Clematicissus opaca facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Clematicissus opaca |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Clematicissus
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| Species: |
opaca
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| Synonyms | |
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Cissus opaca F.Muell. |
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The Clematicissus opaca is a special plant. It is a small vine that grows only in Australia. People call it by many names, like small-leaf grape, pepper vine, and small-leaved water vine. This plant is found in rocky areas. It grows in different kinds of forests. Sometimes, people even grow it in their gardens.
Where the Pepper Vine Grows
The pepper vine mostly lives near the coast. You can find it in Queensland and New South Wales. It also grows a bit further inland. This is west of the Great Dividing Range. It likes places with lots of rocks. It grows in monsoon forests and rainforests near the sea. It can also be found in open forests.
What the Pepper Vine Looks Like
This vine is not very big. Its stems usually grow up to 6 metres long. The leaves look like a hand with fingers. This shape is called palmate. The middle leaflets are bigger than the ones on the sides. The leaves can look very different. Some plants have different leaf shapes. Even on one plant, the leaves can vary. A leaf can have three to seven small parts, called leaflets. These leaflets can be oval, egg-shaped, or narrow. Their edges can be smooth or have small teeth.
The pepper vine climbs using special parts called tendrils. These tendrils grow opposite each leaf. Tiny flowers grow from these tendrils. After the flowers, the plant makes round, black fruits. These fruits are about 15 millimetres wide. They are safe to eat. However, they do not taste very good.
History and Uses of the Pepper Vine
The Clematicissus opaca was once called Cissus opaca. But scientists studied its genes. They also looked closely at its features. Because of this, they moved it to a new group. This new group is called Clematicissus.
This plant has thick roots. These roots are called tubers. The plant can grow back from these roots. This happens after a fire or if animals eat it. Aboriginal Australians used these roots for food. They also sometimes ate the fruit.
