Spermatophyta: Dicotyledonae: Archichlamydeae

Menispermaceae - Moonseed family

Literature

Troupin, G. (1960) Menispermaceae FZ 1(1)

Description of the family

Dioecious trailing herbs, climbers or lianes. Stipules 0. Leaves alternate, simple, sometimes peltate, entire or lobed, petiolate. Inflorescence various, many-flowered. Flowers small, unisexual, actinomorphic. Male flowers: sepals (1-)3-12(-many); petals 1-6, free or connate or 0; stamens 3-6 or indefinite. Female flowers: sepals and petals generally as male; staminodes may be present; carpels (1-)3-6(-many), free; ovules 2. Fruiting carpels drupe-like. Seeds often curved or horseshoe-shaped.

Worldwide: 72 genera and 450 species, tropical and warm areas, with few temperate.

Stephania abyssinica

More sample images from the Menispermaceae (Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record)

Cocculus hirsutus

Cocculus hirsutus

Cissampelos mucronata

Cissampelos mucronata

Cissampelos torulosa

Cissampelos torulosa

Jateorhiza palmata

Jateorhiza palmata

Dioscoreophyllum cumminsii var. leptotrichos

Dioscoreophyllum cumminsii var. leptotrichos

Links to genera: (9)    View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this family

GenusContent
Anisocyla Baill.Description
Antizoma MiersDescription, Image
Cissampelos L.Description, Image
Cocculus DC.Description, Image
Dioscoreophyllum Engl.Description, Image
Jateorhiza MiersDescription, Image
Stephania Lour.Description, Image
Tiliacora Colebr.Description, Image
Tinospora MiersDescription, Image

Other sources of information about Menispermaceae:

Flora of Mozambique: Menispermaceae
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network) taxonomy for plants report for Menispermaceae
Google: Web - Images - Scholar


Copyright: Mark Hyde and Bart Wursten, 2002-10

Hyde, M.A. & Wursten, B. (2010). Flora of Zimbabwe: Family page: Menispermaceae.
http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/family.php?family_id=137, retrieved 9 February 2010

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