Scented milk vine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids scented milk vine |
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Marsdenia
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M. suaveolens
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| Marsdenia suaveolens |
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Pergularia suaveolens R.Br. (Spreng.) |
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The Marsdenia suaveolens, often called the scented milk vine, is a small climbing plant. You can find it growing in New South Wales, Australia. It lives in places with lots of rain, from Bega all the way to Port Macquarie. The very first time scientists collected a sample of this plant was in Sydney on May 11, 1802.
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What's in a Name?
The second part of the plant's scientific name, suaveolens, comes from a Latin word. It means 'sweet-smelling', which is perfect because its flowers have a lovely scent!
A Scottish botanist named Robert Brown first wrote about this plant in 1810. He included it in his book about plants from New Holland (which is now Australia). Later, in 1824, another scientist named Kurt Sprengel put it in a different plant group for a short time.
Plant Features and Growth
The scented milk vine can grow in two ways. It can be a climbing plant (a vine) in forests. Or, it can be a small, upright bush in open, heathland areas. It usually grows up to about 1 meter (3 feet) tall.
Its stem can be about 3 millimeters (1/8 inch) thick. The spaces between the leaf pairs on the stem can be up to 17 centimeters (6 3/4 inches) long. If you cut or damage the plant, it will release a white, milky liquid.
The leaves grow in pairs on opposite sides of the stem. They are dark green and shaped like a spear. They are usually 2 to 7 centimeters (3/4 to 2 3/4 inches) long and 0.6 to 2.5 centimeters (1/4 to 1 inch) wide. The edges of the leaves often curl downwards.
Flowers and Seeds
The scented milk vine's flowers are a creamy white color. They usually appear from October to February, with the most flowers seen in December. Each flower is small, about 3 to 8 millimeters (1/8 to 3/8 inch) across. They grow in small clusters that look like umbrellas.
After the flowers bloom, it takes about 2 to 3 months for the plant to grow its fruit. The fruit are long, narrow seed pods with a pointed tip. They are about 5 to 10 centimeters (2 to 4 inches) long. When the pods open, they release feathery seeds. These seeds are then carried away by the wind, usually from August to January.
Where it Lives
You can find the scented milk vine in eastern New South Wales, from Port Macquarie down to Bega. It likes to grow in wet sclerophyll forests. These forests have trees like turpentine and Sydney peppermint. It often grows in sandy soil near rivers.
It also lives in drier sclerophyll forests with trees like red bloodwood. Sometimes, you can even find it in rainforest gullies. This plant needs more than 800 millimeters (31 inches) of rain each year to grow well.
Life Cycle and Animals
The scented milk vine is very tough! If there's a bushfire, it can grow back from its roots. Scientists have even seen it produce fruit just five months after a fire.
Caterpillars of the common crow butterfly love to eat the leaves of the scented milk vine. This plant is an important food source for them.
Growing Your Own
People have been interested in growing the scented milk vine for a long time. In 1820, a plant nursery in England reported that it flowered there. People praised its wonderful smell, saying it was as good as another famous fragrant plant.
If you want to grow this plant, you should plant it in soil that drains well. It also likes a spot in the garden that has some protection from strong winds or harsh sun.
