ARAUJIA SERICIFERA

Family and Genus:- See- APOCYNACEAE

Common Names:- Moth Plant, White Bladderflower, Common Moth Vine and

Cruel Vine.

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Araujia (L) Derived from Antonio de Araujo e Azevedo, 1st Count of

Barca (1754-1817), a Portuguese amateur botanist.

Sericifera (L) Silk-bearing.

General description:- A creeping vine that can climb up to 5-7 metres. If broken

this plant releases a milky smelly exudate.

Leaves:-

1) About 10-12 mm, opposite, almost triangular, with entire margins, dark green,

glossy and quite fleshy.

Flowers:-

1) About 2 cm diam, campanulate, with five white, creamish, violet or pale pink

petals, fragrant, bisexual.

Fruit:-

1) Pods, large about 8-10 cm, pyriform.

2) Seeds, numerous, surrounded by silky hairs which enable them to be dispersed

by the wind black.

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Habitat:- Wastelands with trees and hedges, in forests and in rocky places or

cliffs. They prefer sunny or partially shady places, at an altitude of 0-1,800 m.

Distribution:- This plant native to South America, introduced in Europe.

Limited distribution on Crete, mainly in the west.

Flowering time:- July-Sept.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis