2574.000 Cissampelos L.

Climbers or lianes. Leaves simple, peltate or subpeltate. entire or angular. Male inflorescences of small corymbose cymes, either solitary, clustered or forming false racemes. Male flowers: sepals 4(-5), obovate; petals usually connate; stamens connate into a 4-10-locular androecium. Female inflorescences less well developed than male. Female flowers: sepals 1; petals 1(-4); carpel 1. Fruit a hairy or glabrous drupe with thin fleshy mesocarp.

Derivation of name: kissos - ivy, ampelos - vine, referring to the scrambling habit and the grape-like bunches of fruit.

Worldwide: 20 species in the tropics

Zambia: 4 taxa.