Common name
Cat's Claw Creeper
Comment
Class 3 Declared Pest (Land Protection (Pest & Stock Route Management) Act 2002 and Regulation 2003).
Stronghold population
False
Regionally significant/rationale
False
Restricted distribution/rationale
False
Reproduction
Seeds dispersed by wind and water.
Description
Tuberous perennial climber to 30+m. Stems red-brown ageing to green then becoming woody, to 15cm thick. Leaves divided into 3, tip leaflet forms a small, 3–clawed tendril, other leaflets to 8cm, red-brown ageing to dark green above and paler below. Flowers single or small clusters, yellow, trumpet-like, to 8cm, 5 petals. Thin capsule fruit to 45cm, green, ripening to brown in summer, with winged seeds. Tuberous, deep, extensive roots dispersed by floods and humans.
Species comments
Hairy Cat’s Claw Creeper differs in that it has larger, broader leaflets, orange flowers and very long (60-100cm) seed pods which are a dull olive green colour.
