General Information

COMMON NAMES: Mountain Wisteria, Mountain Wistaria GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE e.Australia/PNG - Solomons - Norfolk, Cook Islands (Rarotonga, Mangaia only) COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native, possibly Introduced (fruits not known); S.Group only (RR and MG only); Land, mountains (++) KEY FEATURES: High-climbing woody vine to 20m. LEAVES dense terminal clusters, alternate, compound; LEAFLETS usually 3 pairs + 1 terminal (7); topside glossy dark green, underside dull green; oval, to 5x3cm, tip obtuse, edge smooth, w/wo slight waves; stalklets short, 5mm. FLOWERS terminal clusters, many-flowered; pea-like 15mmØ, petals white with variable purplish tinge; dorsal fanlike, 12mm high and 15mm wide, yellow centre; laterals enclose the keel, 10x6mm. FRUIT not seen (a Queensland specimen in BPBM as Millettia australis has pod brown, furry, 20x3cm, with 4 large seeds).

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map

Southern Group: Present    Makatea: -
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
+++L	+L	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Northern Group: -
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
-	-	-	-	-	-

Callerya australis (Endl.)
SYNONYMS: Millettia australis (Endl.) Benth.; Milletia australis [misspelt]; Derris uliginosa [mis-ID TC]; Pterocarpus australis [O]

TAXONOMY: PLANTAE; ANTHOPHYTA (=Angiospermae); MAGNOLIOPSIDA (=Dicotyledones); ROSIDAE; Fabales (Legumes); FABACEAE

GENERAL NOTE: A plant with an unusual distribution: Australia, Norfolk Island, Rarotonga, and Mangaia. A sterile specimen was collected in 1899 by Cheeseman, and assigned tentatively to Derris uliginosa. Not listed in the Wilder flora of 1932. Rarotonga - common on the ridge forest on the northwest mountains especially Tereora hill, and on ridges below Maungatea Bluff (McCormack and Sykes). Mangaia in head of one valley on Rangimotia (Sykes).

Vouchers:
Rarotonga: sterile specimen, nw ridges, 1899, T.Cheeseman with ID as Derris uliginosa (a synonym of Derris trifoliata), re-ID as Millettia australis B.Sykes 1992, specimen verified as same species as main image this database, G.McCormack 10/2004. Mangaia: specimen, in valley near Rangimotia, ?1980s, B.Sykes with ID as Milletia australis.

References:
p.277 I Cheeseman - Flora of Rarotonga
p.27 McCormack/Kunzle - Rarotonga's Mountain Tracks and Plants

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zupB04b, zM03a, zupM04a, zD02, zupD04a

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