NEW FOLIAGE PLANT SPECIES: RHOICISSUS DIGITATA (L.F) GILG ET BRANDT

Seeds of the South African species Rhoicissus digitata were collected in 1982. From the seeds two plants were germinated and they developed into twining vines which yielded stem cuttings for propagation. The plant has dark green, lustrous ternate leaves on short petioles, opposite the leaves are coiling tendrils. Young leaves are covered with reddish to brown, short hairs.

Vegetative propagation is possible using single node cuttings from nodes with fully developed leaves. Rooting takes 3 to 4 weeks, rooting percentage is best during summer. The plant is very draught and salt resistant. In spite of rather slow growth an attractive plant can be produced in 3 to 4 months depending on season. After production quality and keepability is excellent, no damage was done to plants kept for up to nine days in the dark.

Unsolved problems are that exudate drops form on young parts of the plants and under some growing conditions the young leaves become malformed. No economic production analysis has yet been performed.