Petrea volubilis

(Blue petrea, Purple wreath)

Description

This species originally from Central and South America forms a robust scrambling vine with conspicuous lenticels on the stem. The leaves are simple, opposite and rough to the touch like sandpaper, hence another common name is sandpaper vine. Flowers are in pendulous racemes to 35 cm long. Each flower has 5 purple or lilac-coloured sepals, spreading out star-like, and these surround the purple corolla. The sepals are persistent fading to grey with age and eventually form the wings which assist in seed dispersal.

Additional Photos