Australia > All Weeds > Moth Plant

Moth Plant

Araujia sericifera

Origin: Native to southern Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

 Africa

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Flowers image by Gabriela Ruellan

Alternative Name(s): Araujia hortorum, Moth vine

Family: Asclepiadaceae.

Known Hazards: None known.

Habitat: Sandy sea shores.

Edibility Rating: 1 (1-5)

Medicinal Rating: 0 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics: Perennial climber with twining stems, climbing to 6 m on supporting vegetation. Leaves oblong to triangular, 3–11 cm long, 1–6 cm wide, base of midrib on upper surface with finger-like small glands; base at right-angles to leaf stalk that is 0.5–4 cm long. Fruit a blue-green pod initially, turning brown and woody with age, splitting to release seeds. Seeds black, numerous, about 4 mm long and ending in a tuft of white silky hairs about 2.5 cm long.
Flowers: White to pale pink in groups of 2–5 in axils of leaves. Flower perfumed, tubular, 0.8–1.4 cm long, 5-lobed, stamens 5. Flowers late spring to autumn.The flowers are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies).


Distinguishing features: Distinguished by twining habit; milky latex exuded from damaged stems and leaves; leaves opposite, upper surface green with scattered hairs, lower surface blue-green with very short dense covering of hairs and pearshaped fruit 6–12 cm long and 3–7 cm wide.

Dispersal: Spread by wind-blown seeds.



Edible Uses

Fruit - after preparation. No further details are given but the fruit is a long grooved pod 12.5 x 7.5cm, tapering to a fascicle of hairs 2.5cm long.

Medicinal Uses

None known

Other Uses

A strong fibre obtained from stems is used in making textiles.

Notes: Garden escape. Climber that smothers shrubs and small trees, depressing their growth. Weed of wasteland and forests adjoining settlement mainly in coastal higher rainfall areas.

References:



Infestation by the Nepean River, NSW
Gathering of seed pods in Motutapu, New Zealand. Image by Bridget Winstone

 

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