Byron Flora and Fauna Study 1999 - Byron Shire Council

A GREENPRINT FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
Arrow-head Vine (Tinospora tinosporoides FAMILY MENISPERMACEAE)
Introduction. Arrow-head vine is an ornamental vine found in rainforest. Although it is locally common in suitable
habitat, it has a restricted range in northeast New South Wales. No Recovery Plan has been prepared.
Conservation status. Arrow-head Vine is listed on Schedule 2 (Vulnerable) of the TSC Act, 1995 and has a ROTAP code
of 3RC- (Briggs and Leigh 1996).
Habit. A tall woody climber (Harden 1990).
Flowers. Harden (1990) does not record flower colour, size or flowering time. No information about pollination is
available.
Fruit. Fruit are drupes, three borne on a common stalk (Harden 1990). No information about dispersal is available, but
Arrow-head Vine may be dispersed by frugivorous birds.
Habitat. Harden (1990) describes Arrow-head Vine as occurring in wetter subtropical rainforest.
Distribution. North from the Richmond River, and possibly also in Queensland (Harden 1990). Reserved in NSW in
Boatharbour NR; Davis Scrub NR; Johnstons Scrub NR; Minyon Falls FR; Mt Warning NP and Victoria Park NR (Briggs
and Leigh 1996). Details of 32 locations for Arrow-head Vine in the study area were compiled during the current study,
including eight new locations found by the authors during this survey.
Regeneration and horticulture. Arrow-head Vine is little known in horticulture, but can probably be grown from seed or
cuttings. As it occurs naturally in the rainforest understorey, planting into shaded situations is suggested.
Economic and cultural significance. No particular use or significance for Arrow-head Vine is known apart from the
aesthetic and ecological values of all native rainforest species.
Abundance and reservation. Arrow-head Vine is locally common but has a restricted distribution. Briggs and Leigh
(1996) consider that the adequacy of its reservation is not known.
Threats and amelioration. Threats include habitat clearing and modification, weeds, over zealous vine cutting in regeneration
projects, fire and grazing. To improve the conservation status of Arrow-head Vine, the health of the populations
and its regeneration potential should be enhanced by weed management, grazing exclusion, fire protection and replanting
of surrounding habitat.
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