Shrubs, vinelike, perennial; rhizomatous. Stems suberect, prostrate, or scandent, glabrous or puberulent, sometimes papillose. Leaves deciduous, cauline, alternate, usually petiolate; ocrea usually deciduous, sometimes persistent, chartaceous; petiole base articulated, extrafloral nectaries present; blade linear to orbiculate, panduriform, or triangular-lanceolate, margins entire or irregularly wavy. Inflorescences terminal and axillary, spikelike, essentially not pedunculate. Pedicels prescent. Flowers bisexual and unisexual, with staminate, pistillate, or sometimes both sexes occurring with bisexual flowers on the same plant, 1–2(–5) per ocreate fascicle, base stipelike; perianth accrescent, white to greenish white, campanulate, glabrous; tepals 5, connate proximally, sepaloid, dimorphic, outer slightly larger than inner. Staminate flowers: stamens 8 (9); filaments distinct, adnate to base of perianth tube, glabrous; anthers yellow or pink to purple, ovate to elliptic; pistil rudimentary. Pistillate flowers: tube white or reddish purple to black in fruit, becoming fleshy; stamens rudimentary; styles 3, spreading, connate proximally; stigmas fimbriate. Achenes completely or partly included in fleshy perianth, black or dark brown, unwinged, 3-gonous to subglobose, glabrous. Seeds: embryo straight. x = 10.

Distribution

Central America, South America, Pacific Islands (New Zealand), Australia.

Discussion

species 23 (2 in the flora)

Selected References

Brandbyge, J. 1992. The genus Muehlenbeckia (Polygonaceae) in South and Central America. Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 114: 349–416.

Lower Taxa

Muehlenbeckia complexa, Muehlenbeckia hastulata

Key

1	Tubes of pistillate flowers white in fruit; distal branches of stems brownish-puberulent; leaf blades ovate-oblong to suborbiculate or panduriform	Muehlenbeckia complexa
1	Tubes of pistillate flowers reddish purple to black in fruit; distal branches of stems glabrous; leaf blades triangular-lanceolate	Muehlenbeckia hastulata