Burnie Vine

Malaisia scandens is a scandent woody vine with a stem diameter of up to 6 cm (2.4 in); it may climb to a height of 9 m (30 ft). The leaves are dark green above, and paler and somewhat rough on the underside. The leaf margins may be smooth or shallowly toothed, and there are 7–12 lateral veins on either side of the midrib. Twigs and petioles exude a white sap when cut or broken. Male inflorescences take the form of a catkin and grow up to 3 cm (1.2 in) long in Australia, and up to 6 cm (2.4 in) long in China. Female inflorescences consist of three or four more or less spherical flower clusters together on a peduncle about 1 cm (0.4 in) long. This species is dioecious, meaning that male and female flowers are borne on separate plants. The fruit is a red ellipsoid drupe about 9 mm (0.35 in) long. Three or four are attached to a warty receptacle.

This species is native to the following regions as defined in the World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions:

China: China South-Central, China Southeast, Hainan Eastern Asia: Taiwan Indo-China: Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam Malesia: Borneo, Jawa, Lesser Sunda Islands, Malaya, Maluku, Philippines, Sulawesi, Sumatera Papuasia: New Guinea Australia: New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia Southwestern Pacific: Fiji, New Caledonia, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu Northwestern Pacific: Caroline Islands, Marianas

Habitat. Malaisia scandens grows in a variety of forest types including rainforest, monsoon forest, and beach forest. In Australia it occurs at altitudes from sea level to 1,100 m (3,600 ft), and in China it is found up to 300 m (980 ft).