Was botanizing around some rainforest-savanna boundaries when I stumbled upon a rather interesting rainforest shrubby vine. The key defining feature was obvious – the leaf underside had a rusty-silvery look to it. It also often has spines at the leaf axils.
I later worked out that it must be Elaeagnus triflora, the famed Millaa Millaa Vine of the region, which piqued my curiosity even more. This shrub must be one of the southernmost outlier of a genus that is more typically of temperate and subtropical regions of Asia, where other species are known as Silverberries for their edible fruit. The fruit of E. triflora are edible as well although I have yet to try.
The dried persistent calyx
Spindle-shaped seed
Leaf Whispering in the Tropics 