Comesperma volubile
{{short description|Species of plant}}
{{Speciesbox
|image = Comesperma volubile.jpg
|image_caption =
|genus = Comesperma
|species = volubile
|authority = Labill.{{cite web |title=Comersperma volubile |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/74479 |publisher=Australian Plant Census |access-date=16 January 2023}}
|range_map = Comesperma volubileDistA36.png
|range_map_caption = Occurrence data from AVH
}}
Comesperma volubile, commonly known as love creeper,{{cite web |title=Comesperma volubile |url=https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/flora/taxon/da6eed71-d2bd-4b95-8694-f5916ed0ba55 |website=VIC FLORA-Flora of Victoria |publisher=Royal Botanic Garden Victoria}} is a slender climber in the family Polygalaceae. It is a twining plant with linear leaves and pea-like blue flowers.{{cite web |url=http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Comesperma~volubile |title=Comesperma volubile |accessdate=2009-09-17 |author=|work= PlantNET - New South Wales Flora Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia}}
Description
Comesperma voluble is a twining creeper to about {{cvt|3|m}} high on rare occasion a small shrublet with smooth, angled stems. There are few leaves, linear to oval-shaped, {{cvt|10-45|mm}} long, {{cvt|1.5-9|mm}} wide, lower surface pale, margins curved or rolled under. The flowers are in lateral racemes {{cvt|3-25|cm}} long, the sepals are separated, outer three broadly oval-shaped, about {{cvt|2|mm}} long, wings oval-shaped to nearly orb-shaped, {{cvt|4-7|mm}} long, keel darker, {{cvt|3.5-5|mm}} long, upper petals egg-shaped to oblong. Flowering occurs mainly August to November and the fruit is a narrow wedge-shaped capsule, {{cvt|12-20|mm}} long.
Taxonomy and naming
Comersperma voluble was first formally described in 1806 by Jacques Labillardière, and the description was published in Novæ Hollandiæ plantarum specimen.{{APNI2|name=Comesperma volubile|id=74479}}{{Cite Q|Q7064396|pages=24, t. 163|volume=2|issue=17|publisher=Ex typographia Dominæ Huzard|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40882007}} The specific epithet (volubile) means "twining".{{cite book |last1=Sharr |first1=Francis Aubi |last2=George |first2=Alex |title=Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings |date=2019 |publisher=Four Gables Press |location=Kardinya, WA |isbn=9780958034180 |page=347 |edition=3rd}}
Distribution and habitat
Love creeper occurs in heathland and forest in the states of Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, in Australia.{{cite book |title=Wild Plants of Victoria (database) |year=2009 |publisher=Viridans Biological Databases & Department of Sustainability and Environment }}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q5151565}}
Category:Flora of New South Wales
Category:Flora of South Australia
Category:Flora of Victoria (state)
Category:Flora of Western Australia
Category:Taxa named by Jacques Labillardière
Category:Plants described in 1806
{{Polygalaceae-stub}}