Cissus

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

For other uses, see Cissus (disambiguation).
Cissus
File:Starr 071024-9714 Cissus nodosa.jpg
Cissus nodosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
Eudicots
(unranked):
Rosids
Order:
Vitales
Family:
Vitaceae
Subfamily:
Vitoideae
Genus:
Cissus
Species

About 350, see text

Lua error in Module:Taxonbar/candidate at line 22: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).

File:Cissus verticillata.jpg
Cissus verticillata
File:Cissus javana, jardín botánico de Tallinn, Estonia, 2012-08-13, DD 01.JPG
A Cissus javana cultivar

Cissus is a genus of approximately 350 species of lianas (woody vines) in the grape family (Vitaceae). They have a cosmopolitan distribution, though the majority are to be found in the tropics.

Uses

Medicinal

Cissus quadrangularis has been evaluated for potential medical uses. As a source of carotenoids, triterpenoids and ascorbic acid the extracts may have potential for medical effects, including "gastroprotective activity"[2] and benefits in terms of "lipid metabolism and oxidative stress".[3] Cissus quinquangularis was used by the Maasai people of Kenya to relieve some of the symptoms of malaria.[4]

Ornamental

Cissus antarctica, Cissus alata and Cissus incisa are cultivated as garden plants, depending on area of the world. Succulent members of the genus such as Cissus quadrangularis are also found in the nursery trade but tend to be frost tender and are thus not widely cultivated.

Ecology

Cissus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Hypercompe eridanus and Hypercompe icasia.

Taxonomy

The generic name is derived from the Greek word κισσος (kissos), meaning "ivy".[5] In the 1980s the genus was split according to some details of the flower. The large caudiciform species were moved to the new genus Cyphostemma.

The genus name was established by Carl Linnaeus who used species epithets that are adjectives with feminine grammatical gender in Latin (e.g., C. trifoliata L.). This matches the pattern that names of trees ending in -us in Latin have feminine gender, although other plant names ending in -us are usually masculine.[6]

Selected species

Formerly placed here

Image gallery

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. page 96
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Cissus&oldid=713144300"