ACANTHACEAE

Thunbergia neglecta

Squarebase Clockvine

Wildflowers

Local Context

Common in the estate, growing in the shade under trees and shrubs.

Identification

Growth: Perennial herb that is often scrambling, creeping, or climbing, sometimes erect and tending to twine.
Flowers: Dull white or cream with a dull yellow inner tube, shaped like a tube (1.7–2.7 cm long) with spreading lobes.
Leaves: Heart-shaped, up to 5.7 cm long and 5.5 cm wide, carried on stalks up to 3 cm long.
Texture: The plant is generally hairy (pubescent), with leaves specifically covered in rough short hairs; seeds feature hairs that adhere to form comb-like projections.
Fruit: Capsule 1.3–2 cm long with a spherical base (6–10 mm wide), ranging from smooth to sparsely hairy.

Did You Know?

This is a host plant for the caterpillars of dice moths and owlet moths.