Tropaeolum pentaphyllum
Common names
ladies’ legs
Biostatus
Exotic
Conservation status
Not applicable
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Lianes & Related Trailing Plants - Dicotyledons
Flower colours
Green, Red/Pink
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.
Habitat
Terrestrial.
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Ecology
Flowering
October, November, December, January
Year naturalised
1988
Origin
Central South America
Reason for introduction
Ornamental.