Tecomanthe hillii.
Family Bignoniaceae > Tribe Tecomeae.
There are 5 species with Tecomanthe hillii native to S. E. Queensland.
Known as the Fraser island creeper it has pink flowers.
A vigerous twining and trailing vine.
The pinnate leaves, with 5 leaflets, are oppositely arranged.
The petiolules on the 2 pairs of leaflets are a few mms long.
That on the terminal leaflet is longer.
Leaflets are 8 cm long by 2.5 cm wide.
They are ovate with a pointed tip and sometimes an oblique base.
Inflorescences have up to 10 mostly pendulous flowers.
They are commonly on old wood but sometimes on branches either terminal or axillary.
The hairy flower stalks are about 2 cm long.
The reddish-brown 5-lobed calyx is also finely hairy.
The funnel-shaped corolla is up to about 8 cm long.
The tubular part may be slightly curved and flattened.
The 5 lobes, spreading outwards slightly, have short flattened hairs inside.
The 2 pairs of stamens are of slightly different lengths.
There is a staminode.
The ovary has 2 locules each with 2 rows of ovules.
Fruit are capsules with a pointed tip.
They hold numerous winged seeds.
T. dendrophila and T. volubilis also have pink flowers.
T. speciosa has cream flowers and T. ternatensis white.
Colours may change as the flowers age.
J.F.
