Spermatophyta: Dicotyledonae: Archichlamydeae: Ranunculales

Menispermaceae - Moonseed family

Troupin, G. (1960) Menispermaceae Flora Zambesiaca 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.

Botswana: 4 genera and 6 taxa.

Stephania abyssinica var. abyssinica

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

GenusContent
Antizoma MiersDescription, Image
Cissampelos L.Description, Image
Cocculus DC.Description
Tinospora MiersDescription, Image

Other sources of information about Menispermaceae:

Our websites:

Flora of Caprivi: Menispermaceae
Flora of Malawi: Menispermaceae
Flora of Mozambique: Menispermaceae
Flora of Zambia: Menispermaceae
Flora of Zimbabwe: Menispermaceae
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Menispermaceae

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Menispermaceae
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network) taxonomy for plants report for Menispermaceae
Wikipedia: Menispermaceae


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2014-23

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2023). Flora of Botswana: Family page: Menispermaceae.
https://www.botswanaflora.com/speciesdata/family.php?family_id=137, retrieved 27 March 2023

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