Cissus quadrangularis

May 16, 2010 at 7:18 pm · Filed under Class: Magnoliopsida, Family: Vitaceae, Order: Vitale, Superorder: Rosanae

Cissus quadrangularis L.

Recent Synonyms: Vitis quadrangularis (L.) Wall. ex W. & Arn., Cissus edulis Dalz.

Status: Exotic; Cultivated only.

Growth Form or Habit: Herbaceous climber.

Habit
MacRitchie; 2010.

Succulent stems
MacRitchie; 2010.

Leaves
MacRitchie; 2010.

Leaves: Lamina ovate to trilobed, margin serrate, apex acute, base cordate to obtuse, 2.5–4 cm by 2–5 cm, glabrous, coriaceous, petiole 1.5–2 cm long.

Tendrils
MacRitchie; 2010.

Stem: Stem slightly quadrialate, glabrous to downy, constricted at nodes, tendril simple, leaf-opposed, characteristic of all members of the family.

Flowers
MacRitchie; 2010.

Flowers: In a umbellate cyme without tendril, leaf-opposed, peduncle 1–2.5 cm long, hirsute. Flower petals cream abaxially, red adaxially, disc cream.

Fruits
MacRitchie; 2010.

Fruits: Berry globose, 6–10 mm across, ripening red, acidic, with 1 seed per fruit; seed 4–8 mm.

Habitat: Escaped reportedly colonizing the seaside in Java (Backer and Bakhuizen 1965).

Occurrence: Cultivated.

Distribution: East Africa, Arabia, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan.

References:

(1) Backer, C.A., and Bakhuizen van den Brink, R.C. 1965. Vitaceae. Flora of Java 2: 86–94.

(2) Nazimuddin, S., and Qaiser, M. 1982. Vitaceae. Flora of Pakistan 147: 1–20.

(3) Latiff, A. 1981. Studies in Malesian Vitaceae, 6. The Malay Peninsula species of Cissus L. Malayan Nature Journal 35: 197–207.

(4) Yeo, C.K. 2001. The Vitaceae and Leeaceae of Singapore. Honours Thesis, National University of Singapore. 96 pp.

Leave a comment