Water vine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Water vine
Cissus hypoglauca - young leaves at Brisbane Water National Park, Australia
Scientific classification
Genus:	Cissus
Species:	hypoglauca

Cissus hypoglauca is a common plant found in Australia. It's a type of climbing plant, also known as a vine. This plant belongs to the Cissus group, which is part of the grape family. You can often find it growing in wet areas of eastern Australia. It grows quickly in places where forests have been damaged by storms, fires, or logging.

People call this plant by many names. Some common names are jungle grape, water vine, giant water vine, five-leaf water vine, jungle vine, native grapes, and billangai. An American botanist named Asa Gray first described this plant in 1854.

What is the Water Vine?

Cissus hypoglauca is a large, woody vine. It gets the name "water-vine" because you can cut its woody stems. If you do, sap will drip out, which you can drink like water.

Leaves and Tendrils

The leaves of the water vine look like a hand with fingers spread out. They usually grow in groups of five. Each leaf is shaped like an oval or egg. Their edges can be slightly toothed or smooth.

The top of the leaves is a medium green color. The underside has a dull, blue-green shade, which is called glaucous. The leaves are usually between 3 to 15 centimeters (1 to 6 inches) long. They are also 1.5 to 4 centimeters (0.6 to 1.6 inches) wide. When the leaves are young, they are reddish and have tiny hairs.

You will also see tendrils on the plant. These are thin, twisty parts that help the vine climb. They grow opposite where the leaf stalk is.

Flowers and Fruit

The water vine produces yellow flowers. These flowers grow in clusters at the ends of the branches. They mostly appear during spring and summer.

Later in the year, a purple, round fruit grows. This fruit ripens around the middle of the year. The five-leaf water vine provides a lot of food and safe places for birds and small animals.

The bright blue berries can be eaten raw. They are a juicy snack. However, they might leave a slightly sour or irritating taste in your mouth afterward.

Images for kids

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  Cissus hypoglauca growing over a creek at Murramarang National Park, Australia

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  young leaves of Cissus hypoglauca at Brisbane Water National Park, Australia

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  Fruit (McKay Reserve, Palm Beach, New South Wales)

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  Fruit (McKay Reserve, Palm Beach, New South Wales)