Apocissus antarctica

Apocissus antarctica
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Vitales
Family:	Vitaceae
Genus:	Apocissus
Species:	A. antarctica
Binomial name
Apocissus antarctica (Vent.) Jackes & Trias-Blasi
Synonyms[1]
Cissus antarctica Vent. (1803) (basionym) Cissus antarctica var. integerrima Domin Cissus antarctica var. pubescens Domin Cissus baudiniana Brouss. ex DC. Cissus bodiniana Brouss. Cissus glandulosa Poir. Vitis antarctica (Vent.) Benth. Vitis baudiniana F.Muell. Vitis kanguruh DC. Vitis lucida Fisch. ex Steud.

Apocissus antarctica (synonym Cissus antarctica), known commonly as kangaroo vine,^[2] is one of the best known species of the genus Cissus in the family Vitaceae. It is a climbing plant, a vine, and is native to Australia.

It is a climbing plant with new growths that are rusty in colour, and often become glabrescent with age, with simple or branched tendrils. The leaves are simple, ovate to ovate-oblong, mostly 4-12 cm long, 20-50 mm wide, the apex pointed, the base mostly rounded, the margins toothed all over the surface, the upper surface is glabrous, the underside generally rusty and hairy with petiole 1-3 cm long.^[2]

The inflorescences are dense, 1-3 cm long. Petals 2 mm long, yellowish. The fruit is globose, 15 mm in diameter and purple.^[2]

It is found in warmer rainforest, mainly in coastal regions north of Tathra in New South Wales and inland on the Liverpool Range, to Queensland.^[2]

Apocissus antarctica is often used as a vine in subtropical climates, such as California, as an ornamental plant in gardens.

Kangaroo vine also is a popular interior or houseplant, a well adapted plant, even in subdued light. It does not do well above 15 °C, especially when exposed to central heating, which can cause the leaves to drop.^[3]