Cocculus
Syst. Nat. 1: 515. 1818.
| Taxon | Illustrator ⠉ | |
|---|---|---|
 | Cissampelos pareira Cocculus carolinus Menispermum canadense | John Myers John Myers John Myers |
Vines, twining or clambering. Stems green, apically tomentose grading to pilose or glabrate on older portions. Leaves not peltate. Leaf-blade generally ovate to hastate or oblong, base cordate, truncate, or rounded, margins entire, apex mucronate; surfaces soft-pubescent or glabrous. Inflorescences axillary or terminal, racemes or racemose-panicles; bracts minute (bracteoles). Flowers 3-ranked; sepals 6-9, ovate to elliptic or obovate, outer sepals glabrous or pilose to sparsely pilose abaxially, inner sepals glabrous; petals 6, free. Staminate flowers: petals to 2 mm, auriculate lobes at base inflexed over 6 stamens; filaments distinct; anthers 4-locular; pistillodes 36 or absent, glandular. Pistillate flowers: perianth similar to staminate; staminodes 6, poorly developed; pistils 6; ovary slightly asymmetrically pouched, glabrous; stigma entire. Drupes globose, glabrous; endocarp bony, depressed but not excavate, warty, ribbed. x = 13.
Distribution
Temperate regions, North America, Mexico, Asia, Africa
Discussion
Species 11 (2 in the flora).
Selected References
None.
Lower Taxa
Key
| 1 | Stems with spreading pubescence; leaf blade typically ovate, occasionally sagittate or hastate, abaxially pubescent; sepals of outer series pubescent; drupes red. | Cocculus carolinus |
| 1 | Stems with appressed pubescence; leaf blade typically oblong, sometimes basally lobed, abaxially glabrous; sepals of outer series glabrous; drupes black. | Cocculus diversifolius |