familyVitaceae

Causonis

Rafinesque

Med. Fl. 2: 122. 1830.

Introduced
Etymology: Derivation unknown perhaps Latin causa, reason, and onus, necessity, alluding to segregation from Cissus
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 12. Treatment on page 22. Mentioned on page 4.
 TaxonIllustrator 
FNA12 P03 Cissus trifoliata.jpegCissus trifoliata
Causonis japonica
Krameria lanceolata
Alice Tangerini
Alice Tangerini

Vines [lianas], sprawling to moderately high climbing, synoecious or polygamomonoecious. Branches: bark adherent; pith white, continuous through nodes; tendrils usually 2–3 [–5] -branched, without [with] adhesive discs. Leaves palmately (pedately) compound. Inflorescences usually bisexual, axillary, corymblike cymes, compound. Flowers bisexual or unisexual; calyx cupshaped, indistinctly 4-lobed; petals 4, distinct; nectary adnate to base of ovary, cupshaped, 4-lobed; stamens 4; style conic, short. Berries dark blue to black. Seeds 2–4 per fruit. x = 10.

Distribution

Introduced; e, se Asia, Australia

Discussion

Species ca. 25 (1 in the flora).

Causonis is separated from Cayratia (Wen J. et al. 2013) based on phylogenetic evidence (Wen et al. 2007; Lu L. M. et al. 2013). It corresponds to the Asian and Australian Cayratia sect. Discypharia Suessenguth (K. Suessenguth 1953; A. Latiff 1981). Causonis trifolia (Linnaeus) Rafinesque, native to southeast Asia and Australia, is an aggressive weed at Fairchild Tropical Garden in Miami, Florida. No other locations are known for this species in the flora area, but it may become naturalized in southern Florida. It can be distinguished from C. japonica by having 3-foliolate leaves and tendrils that are 3–5-branched and usually have adhesive discs at their tips.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

"connate" is not a number.

... more about "Causonis"
Michael O. Moore† +  and Jun Wen +
Rafinesque +
adherent +
dark blue +  and black +
4-lobed +  and cup-shaped +
leaf-opposed +
corymblike +
e +, se Asia +  and Australia +
Derivation unknown +  and perhaps Latin causa, reason, and onus, necessity, alluding to segregation from Cissus +
unisexual +  and bisexual +
pinnate +  and palmate +
crenate +  and serrate +
intrastaminal +
4-lobed +  and cup-shaped +
anatropous +  and apotropous +
distinct +
2[-3]-carpellate +
Introduced +
stalked +  and multicellular +
Causonis +
Vitaceae +
2-3[-5]-branched +
vine +, sprawling +  and moderately high climbing +
polygamomonoecious +  and synoecious +