Parsonsia alboflavescens
# Parsonsia alboflavescens

Parsonsia alboflavescens is a woody vine of the family Apocynaceae, found from tropical and subtropical Asia to Northern Australia. In the Northern Territory of Australia, where it occurs in Arnhem Land, it has been declared "near threatened".

## Taxonomy

Parsonsia alboflavescens was first described in 1818, by Dennstedt, as Periploca alboflavescens. It was described many times. The current name is that given by Mabberley in 1977, who, working through the many names, found that Dennstedt's publication preceded all others, which meant that this Parsonsia took the species epithet, alboflavescens.

### Type illustrations

(See Middleton.)

* Rheede tot Drakestein, H.A. van, Hortus Indicus Malabaricus, vol. 9: t. 9 & 10 (1689)

## Etymology

Robert Brown gave the generic name, Parsonsia, to honour James Parsons (1705–1770). The species epithet, alboflavescens, is derived from the Latin albus (white). flavescens (turning yellow, becoming yellow) and refers to the flower.

