Capparis lasiantha

The seedlings and young plants begin life as climbing vines that cling to the host plants by means sharp spines on the stems. Some plants may retain this climbing form into maturity, while others go on to develop into a scrambling shrub up to in height. Mature plants produce large, white perfumed flowers which are followed by hard, ellipsoidal fruit up to long. Upon ripening the fruit becomes soft and fragrant, eventually splitting to reveal a sweet, edible pulp surrounding the seed. ==Taxonomy==

Swiss botanist Augustin Pyramus de Candolle described Capparis lasiantha in his 1824 work Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis, and it still bears its original name. ==Ecology and uses==

Caterpillars of the caper white (Belenois java) feed on its leaves. Capparis lasiantha has been recorded as a host for the mistletoe species Lysiana subfalcata. The fruit was used as food by Aboriginal people throughout its range. A concoction from the bark was used as a treatment for animal bites and stings in the Broome region. Farmers could use the leaves as fodder for livestock in periods of drought. ==Cultivation==

A drought tolerant plant, Capparis lasiantha can be grown in arid or subtropical gardens, its heavy flowering and edible fruit give it horticultural potential. It can be propagated by seed. ==Gallery==

File:Capparis lasiantha.jpg|Juvenile vine form attached to host with hooks File:Capparis lasiantha intermediate 1.jpg|Intermediate form scrambling over fence File:Capparis lasiantha R.Br. ex DC flower.jpg|Flower File:P2220014 Capparis lasiantha with fruit.jpg|Fruit - typical elongated ovoid File:P2220012 Capparis lasiantha - fruit.jpg|Fruit - typical elongated ovoid File:P2220015 Capparis lasiantha mature fruit that has split open.jpg|Fruit that has split open ==References==