Among the genera of the great Coffee family, few are as recognizable as this group of vines that would be familiar to some older folk as the source of gambir (Uncaria gambir), a plant substance used in Asian countries such as Indonesia for chewing with areca and betel, for tanning, and for dyeing. But alas, the virtues of this native species remains rather much unexplored.
The stipules of native Uncaria vine immediately distingushes it as a member of the coffee family and then the paired curved hooks tells us instantly that this is a species of Uncaria. This species is the most commonly encountered in FNQ and there is another species, U. cordata which is rather much restricted in distribution to the Bellenden Ker area.
Note the paired hooks at each node.
The flowers of the Uncaria vine are clustered in a head, thereby producing a cluster of fruits.
Young fruits
Leaf Whispering in the Tropics 
Hi David,
Great blog on the amazing flora of the wet tropics
Just thought I’d mention I did an honours research project on this species, on the chemistry and anti-inflammatory activity some years ago now
Many species in this distinctive genus have been used as medicines, from China and Japan to SE Asia and Melanesia and the Amazon forests of Sth America
Our native species has constituents directly comparable to the Sth American species, which is now quite widely used and available as a herbal medicine
Regards
Thanks. Nice to know there’s research on this. Am keen to cite your thesis on this if you’re happy to provide the citation/link. I think there’s great scope for more phytochemical research around here. I enjoyed your blog. Great stuff!