Twining silkpod facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Twining silkpod |
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| Parsonsia brownii, Sherbrooke Forest, Victoria | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Parsonsia
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| Species: |
brownii
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
| Synonyms | |
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Lyonsia brownii Britten |
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The Parsonsia brownii, also known as twining silkpod or mountain silkpod, is a type of woody vine. It belongs to the dogbane family, called Apocynaceae. You can find this plant growing in rainforests in New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania in Australia.
What the Twining Silkpod Looks Like
This plant can climb very high, sometimes over 10 meters! It has a watery sap, which is like a liquid inside its stems.
Its shiny leaves are shaped like a spear, long and narrow. They can grow up to 20 centimeters long and 4 centimeters wide. The leaves get narrower towards the end. When the plant is young, its leaves are even thinner. New parts of the plant are covered in soft, fine hairs.
Small, sweet-smelling flowers appear between August and December. They are yellow and brown and grow in loose clusters at the end of the branches. After the flowers, long, thin pods grow. These pods are usually 5 to 10 centimeters long.
How This Plant Got Its Name
The twining silkpod was first officially described in 1907. A botanist named James Britten gave it the name Lyonsia brownii.
Later, in 1950, a French botanist named Marcel Pichon moved it to a different group of plants. He placed it in the genus Parsonsia. This is why its scientific name is now Parsonsia brownii.
Growing This Plant
The twining silkpod is not a common plant to grow in gardens. This is because it grows very strongly and can take over a lot of space. It needs cool and moist places to grow well.
If you want to grow one, you can sometimes buy these plants from special nurseries that sell local native plants.
