This tall climber favours the rainforests and sheltered gullies of coastal Queensland.

Headache Vine - Clematis glycinoides - Photo by Bill Hinton

It has hard shining leaves which are prominently veined. The creamy-white female flowers have four petal-like sepals, whilst the male flowers are palest green and resemble miniature pom-poms.

The seed heads are as attractive as the flowers. Each seed, or achene to be more precise, has a silky feathery tail about 5cm long. Flowers appear during September and November.

HEADACHE VINE is one of the many plants that were used by the Aborigines for the relief of headaches. Crushed leaves from this vine release a pungent smell, which if inhaled vigorously, causes the nasal passages to smart violently. A.B. & J.W. Cribb recorded in Wild Food in Australia, "Headaches are forgotten as the patient wonders whether the top of his head has blown off. One feels that any medicine producing such effects must surely be doing some good".

Seeds germinate well and HEADACHE VINE is a rewarding addition to any garden where the climate is suitable.