Geitonoplesium is a genus in the family Asphodelaceae, containing the sole species Geitonoplesium cymosum, commonly known as scrambling lily. The species is a perennial evergreen scrambling vine found in rainforests, sclerophyll forests and woodlands of eastern Australia, and parts of Malesia and Melanesia.
The leaves are variable, usually narrow-lanceolate to linear, long and wide. Both surfaces of the leaves are glossy, with the midvein prominent and raised on the upper surface. The flowers are mauve to white. The globular berries are in diameter and contain one or two more or less globular black seeds. There is a high degree of variation in the shape of the leaves, which has resulted in the establishment of numerous infraspecific taxa over the years. However, none of these are recognised by leading present-day authorities.
Taxonomy The species was first described in 1810 by Robert Brown as Luzuriaga cymosa,Brown, R. (27 March 1810), Prodromus florae Novae Hollandiae et insulae Van-Diemen, exhibens characteres plantarum quas annis 1802-1805: 282 but in 1832 Allan Cunningham transferred it to the genus Geitonoplesium.Brown, R. in Hooker, W.J. (ed.) (1832), Botanical Magazine 59: t. 3131
Uses The shoots are edible when boiled, and comparable to asparagus.
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