Flagellaria indica is a climbing plant found in many of the tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World, India, Bangladesh, Southeast Asia, Polynesia, and Australia.^[1]

A strong climber, it grows often up to 15 metres (49 ft) tall, with thick cane-like stems exceeding 15 millimetres (19⁄32 in) in diameter. Its leaves, without hairs, are 10 to 40 centimetres (4 to 16 in) long, and 5 to 20 millimetres (3⁄16 to 25⁄32 in) wide. A coiled apex of the leaf forms the holding part of the climbing plant. Fragrant white flowers form in panicles, 10 to 25 centimetres (4 to 10 in) long. The fruit is inedible. The globose drupes are red when mature,^[2] 5 millimetres (25⁄128 in) in diameter, usually with only one seed.

Because of its wide distribution, many local common names are used, such as whip vine, hell tail, supplejack, false rattan, and bush cane.

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  Inflorescence, irregularly branched. Stamens exserted.

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  Drupes are green at first.

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  Leaf sheaths with two auricles

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  Tendrils: the holding part

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  Southernmost limit of natural distribution Royal National Park, Australia

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References

• "Flagellaria indica". PlantNET - NSW Flora Online. Retrieved 2010-02-28.
• "Flagellaria indica L.". FloraBase Western Australia. Western Australia - Parks and Wildlife Service. Retrieved 2022-05-27.