Tropaeolum pentaphyllum
Common name
ladies’ legs
Family
Tropaeolaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Lianes & Related Trailing Plants - Dicotyledons
Conservation status
Not applicable
Habitat
Terrestrial.
Detailed description
Glabrous climbing perennial with thin stems and thick rootstock. Leaves are composed of 5 sub-sessile leaflets each to about 2 x 1 cm. long pink pedicels (up to 14 cm long) support complex flowers. Flowers consist of 5 triangular green sepals dotted with red, 2 red petals at top of flower, and pink spur to 2.5 cm long.
Similar taxa
Vegetaive parts can easily be confused wth T. speciosum but the flowers can be distinguished immediately by the 2 small petals included within the calyx as opposed to the 5 large exserted petals of T. speciosum.
Flowering
October, November, December, January
Flower colours
Green, Red/Pink
Year naturalised
1988
Origin
Central South America
Reason For Introduction
Ornamental.