About Sarcopetalum harveyanum F.Muell.
Sarcopetalum harveyanum, commonly known as the pearl vine, is a common plant occurring mostly in coastal areas of eastern Australia. It grows in and around rainforests, and can also be found in eucalyptus forests. The leaf stalk attaches to the leaf beneath its surface. Leaves are heart-shaped, with raised veins on both the upper and lower surfaces. Seven veins branch from the leaf base: one midrib and three pairs of veins. The innermost pair of veins extends nearly the full length of the leaf. Mature leaves measure 4 to 12 cm long and 2 to 9 cm wide, while leaf stems are 1 to 8 cm long. The swelling at the base of the leaf stem is enlarged and clearly visible. Red or yellow flowers grow in racemes during summer, and these racemes most often develop from old wood on the vine. The flowers are very small and rarely seen, with petals 3 mm in length. The fruit is a red drupe 5 to 8 mm in diameter, which grows in clusters that resemble miniature bunches of grapes. The pearl vine is a food source for the larvae of the moths Eudocima salaminia and Eudocima fullonia.
