Menispermum

Vines, twining, or lianas. Stems green, apically tomentose grading to glabrate on older portions. Leaves peltate, petiole inserted near margin, rarely with petiole attached basally. Leaf blade broadly ovate, generally (3-)5-7-lobed or angled, base cordate, truncate, or rounded, margins entire, apex acuminate to rounded, mucronate, rarely notched or obcordate; surfaces abaxially very pale, sometimes silvery, glabrous to pilose, adaxially glabrous to sparsely pilose. Inflorescences axillary, panicles well developed; bracts minute (bracteoles). Flowers 3-ranked; sepals usually 6, ovate to elliptic or obovate, glabrous; petals (4-)6(-12), free, to 4 mm, entire, auriculate basal lobes absent. Staminate flowers: petals entire; stamens 12-36; filaments distinct; anthers 4-locular; pistillodes absent. Pistillate flowers: staminodes 6-9, well developed; pistils (2-)3(-4); ovary slightly asymmetrically pouched, glabrous; stigma slightly lobed. Drupes globose, glabrous; endocarp bony, warty, ribbed.

Distribution

North America, Mexico, and Asia.

Discussion

Species 3 (1 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Menispermum canadense