Vines, twining or clambering. Stems green, apically tomentose grading to pilose or glabrate on older portions. Leaves not peltate. Leaf-blade generally ovate to hastate or oblong, base cordate, truncate, or rounded, margins entire, apex mucronate; surfaces soft-pubescent or glabrous. Inflorescences axillary or terminal, racemes or racemose-panicles; bracts minute (bracteoles). Flowers 3-ranked; sepals 6-9, ovate to elliptic or obovate, outer sepals glabrous or pilose to sparsely pilose abaxially, inner sepals glabrous; petals 6, free. Staminate flowers: petals to 2 mm, auriculate lobes at base inflexed over 6 stamens; filaments distinct; anthers 4-locular; pistillodes 36 or absent, glandular. Pistillate flowers: perianth similar to staminate; staminodes 6, poorly developed; pistils 6; ovary slightly asymmetrically pouched, glabrous; stigma entire. Drupes globose, glabrous; endocarp bony, depressed but not excavate, warty, ribbed. x = 13.

Distribution

Temperate regions, North America, Mexico, Asia, Africa

Discussion

Species 11 (2 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Cocculus carolinus, Cocculus diversifolius

Key

1	Stems with spreading pubescence; leaf blade typically ovate, occasionally sagittate or hastate, abaxially pubescent; sepals of outer series pubescent; drupes red.	Cocculus carolinus
1	Stems with appressed pubescence; leaf blade typically oblong, sometimes basally lobed, abaxially glabrous; sepals of outer series glabrous; drupes black.	Cocculus diversifolius