About Rhaphidophora australasica F.M.Bailey
Rhaphidophora australasica, commonly called needle berry, is a species of flowering plant in the arum family Araceae. This species is endemic to the Wet Tropics bioregion of northeastern Queensland, Australia. It is a robust, semi-epiphytic herbaceous root climber that grows to around 30 m (98 ft) in height. Its dark green leaves have an oblanceolate to elliptic shape, and can reach up to 40 cm (16 in) long and 14 cm (5.5 in) wide. The plant’s inflorescence consists of a spadix measuring 6–8 cm (2.4–3.1 in) long, which is enclosed in a 13 cm (5.1 in) long spathe. In terms of distribution and habitat, needle berry grows in rainforest between the area around Cooktown in the north and around Ingham in the south, at altitudes ranging from sea level up to approximately 1,000 m (3,300 ft).
