Menispermaceae

Cissampelos L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 1031 (1753)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Tropics & Subtropics.

Descriptions

Menispermaceae, G. Troupin. Flora Zambesiaca 1:1. 1960

Morphology General Habit
Twining lianes or sometimes scandent shrubs.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves simple, peltate or sub-peltate, entire or angular.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Female inflorescences less developed than the male cymules, 3–9-flowered, axillary or in false racemes, arising from the axils of leaves or of accrescent bracts. Male inflorescences of corymbose cymules which are either solitary or clustered or arranged in more or less developed false racemes.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Female flowers with 1 sepal, rarely more; petal 1, rarely 2–4, smaller than the sepal, sometimes broader than long; carpel 1. Male flowers with 4 (5) obovate often spreading sepals; petals usually connate into a patelliform or cup-shaped corolla, sometimes incompletely connate; stamens connate into a 4–10-locular synandrium; anther-thecae with longitudinal dehiscence.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Drupe with hairy or glabrous exocarp; mesocarp fleshy and thin; endocarp woody, with 1 dorsal ridge, the sides with small transverse often verrucose ribs.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds with scanty endosperm.
[FZ]

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Woody or herbaceous twining vines or lianes
Morphology Leaves
Leaves often peltate, entire
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Male flowers in axillary, corymbose cymes; sepals 4–5, obovate; petals usually united into a cup-shaped corolla; stamens united into a 4–10-celled synandrium
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Female flowers in clusters in the axils of accrescent ± orbicular bracts; sepal 1; petal 1(–3), smaller than the sepal; carpel 1
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Drupes ± hairy; endocarp dorsally with 2 rows of transverse ridges.
Distribution
Pantropical genus of 20–25 species.
[FSOM]

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology General Habit
Slender climbing shrubs or vines; leaves roundish, more or less cordate, sometimes peltate, palmately veined
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Panicles cymose, the staminate many-flowered with branches much exceeding the bracts, the pistillate few-flowered with branches enclosed by the bracts
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Staminate flowers with 4 sepals and petals united into a short cup
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Pistillate flowers with 1 obovate sepal and 1 smaller petal opposite to the sepal-Carpel 1, with 3-lobed style; drupelet globose, more or less hairy.
Distribution
About 30 species, mostly tropical American.
[Cayman]

Menispermaceae, G. Troupin. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1956

Morphology General Habit
Twining lianes, sometimes rambling shrubs
Morphology Leaves
Leaves simple, peltate or subpeltate, entire or angular
sex Male
Male flowers with 4 (–5) obovate often spreading sepals; petals usually connate into a patelliform or cup-shaped corolla, sometimes incompletely connate; stamens connate into a 4–10-locular synandrium; antherthecae with longitudinal dehiscence
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Female inflorescences less developed than the ♂; cymules 3–9-flowered, axillary or in false racemes, arising from the axils of leaves or of accrescent bracts Female inflorescences of corymbose cymules which are either solitary or clustered or arranged in ± developed false racemes
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Female flowers with 1 sepal, rarely more; petal 1, rarely 2 or 3, smaller than the sepal, sometimes broader than long; carpel 1 Male flowers with 4 (–5) obovate often spreading sepals; petals usually connate into a patelliform or cup-shaped corolla, sometimes incompletely connate; stamens connate into a 4–10-locular synandrium; antherthecae with longitudinal dehiscence
sex Female
Female flowers with 1 sepal, rarely more; petal 1, rarely 2 or 3, smaller than the sepal, sometimes broader than long; carpel 1 Female inflorescences less developed than the ♂; cymules 3–9-flowered, axillary or in false racemes, arising from the axils of leaves or of accrescent bracts Female inflorescences of corymbose cymules which are either solitary or clustered or arranged in ± developed false racemes
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Drupes with hairy or glabrous exocarp; mesocarp fleshy and thin; endocarp woody, with 1 dorsal ridge; the sides with small transverse often verrucose ribs
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds with a sparse endosperm.
[FTEA]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of the Cayman Islands

    • Flora of the Cayman Islands
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0