Locally common in areas of 'die back' on the plateau. Mostly seen as seedlings and young vines the adults having died from damage caused by the passage of Cyclone Bune (28 March 2011). Associated with resprouting Hypolepis dicksonioides - the bane of Macauley Island.

This is Sicyos mawhai I.Telford et P.Sebastian not S. australis - Sicyos mawhai was described in 2012 and the name needs adding to Nature Watch NZ

See: Telford, I.R.H.; Sebastian, P.; de Lange, P.J.; Bruhl, J.J.; Renner, S.S. 2012: Morphological and molecular data reveal three rather than one species of Sicyos (Cucurbitaceae) in Australia, New Zealand and Islands of the South West Pacific. Australian Systematic Botany 25: 188-201.