Clematiciccus opaca
(F. Muell.) Jackes & Rossetto
Native grape, Pepper vine
What to Eat
Edible parts: Root, Tuber, Fruit
The tubers are roasted and eaten. The fruit and roots are also edible portions.
Where to Find It
A tropical and subtropical plant. It grows in coastal and inland areas in Queensland and New South Wales in Australia. It can tolerate salty winds. It requires a sunny position and well drained soil.
Australia*,
How to Identify
A weak climber. It grows 5-10 m high. It has many fleshy tubers. These can be 25 cm long. The leaves are arranged with leaflets like fingers on a hand. There are 3-5 leaflets. The leaflets are 2-5 cm long and oval. They are bright green and often purplish underneath. The flower arrangements are opposite the leaves. The flowers are yellow. They are 0.2 cm across. The fruit are berries 0.6-0.8 cm across. The berries are bluish black.
How to Grow
Plants can be grown from fresh seed or stem cuttings. The tubers can be transplanted.
Notes
There are about 200-350 Cissus species. There are about 75 species in tropical America.
Names & Synonyms
Small-leaved water vine, Wappo wappo, Woodland grape, Yaloone
References (12)
- Anon., 2003, Native Plants for the Fitzroy basin. Society for Growing Australian Plants Inc. (Rockhampton Branch) (As Cissus opaca)
- Cherikoff V. & Isaacs, J., The Bush Food Handbook. How to gather, grow, process and cook Australian Wild Foods. Ti Tree Press, Australia p 194 (As Cissus opaca)
- Cribb, A.B. & J.W., 1976, Wild Food in Australia, Fontana. p 140 (As Cissus opaca)
- Elliot, W.R., & Jones, D.L., 1984, Encyclopedia of Australian Plants suitable for cultivation. Vol 3. Lothian. p 40 (As Cissus opaca)
- Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 684 (? As Vitis opaca)
- Hibbert, M., 2002, The Aussie Plant Finder 2002, Florilegium. p 67 (As Cissus opaca)
- Jones D, L, 1986, Ornamental Rainforest Plants in Australia, Reed Books, p 285 (As Cissus opaca)
- Lazarides, M. & Hince, B., 1993, Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia, CSIRO. p 60 (As Cissus opaca)
- Lim, T. K., 2015, Edible Medicinal and Non Medicinal Plants. Volume 9, Modified Stems, Roots, Bulbs. Springer p 24
- Low, T., 1991, Wild Food Plants of Australia. Australian Nature FieldGuide, Angus & Robertson. p 62 (As Cissus opaca)
- Melzer, R. & Plumb, J., 2011, Plants of Capricornia. Belgamba, Rockhampton. p 395
- Townsend, K., 1994, Across the Top. Gardening with Australian Plants in the tropics. Society for Growing Australian Plants, Townsville Branch Inc. p 133 (As Cissus opaca)
