About Eustrephus latifolius R.Br.
Eustrephus is a monotypic genus, meaning it contains only one species, in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Lomandroideae. The only species in this genus is Eustrephus latifolius, which is commonly called wombat berry. This species is an evergreen vine native to Malesia, the Pacific Islands, and eastern Australia. It can grow in sclerophyll forest, woodland, heathlands, shrublands, gallery forest, and rainforests. Its leaves vary widely in shape, ranging from elliptic to linear, and measure 30–100 mm (1.2–3.9 in) long by 3–35 mm (0.12–1.38 in) wide. All leaf veins are equally distinct. Its flowers range in color from pink to mauve or white. It produces yellow-orange, globose capsules that are 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) in diameter, which hold numerous black seeds each partly enclosed in a white aril. Over time, the wide variation in leaf shape led to the description of many infraspecific taxa, but none of these taxa are recognized by most modern systematists. The tubers of Eustrephus latifolius are edible and have a sweet flavor. The 1889 publication *The Useful Native Plants of Australia* records that this plant "produces sweet though only small tubers, which, however, are probably capable of enlargement through culture (Mueller)."
