Cissampelos pareira L.

  • Authority

    Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.

  • Family

    Menispermaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Cissampelos pareira L.

  • Description

    Species Description - Twining vine to 5 m long; stems cylindrical, glabrous to pilose. Leaf blades 4-12 X 4-10 cm, widely ovate to nearly rounded chartaceous, lower surface sparsely to densely pubescent, the apex emarginate, usually mucronulate, the base cordate or truncate, usually peltate, the margins wavy and revolute; petioles sparsely to densely pubescent, 2-7 cm long. Rowers 1-15 mm long, greenish, in axillary cymes. Calyx pilose; bracts of pistillate inflorescence foliaceous, ovate, pilose. Drupe globose, juicy, bright red-orange, pilose, 4-5 mm diam.; Stone horseshoe-shaped, verrucose.

  • Discussion

    Common names: pataka, velvet leaf.

  • Distribution

    A common weedy vine of open distrubed, moist areas or secondary forests. Road to Bordeaux (A3126), trail to Brown Bay (A1868). Also on St. Croix, St. Thomas, and Tortola; throughout the tropics.

    Saint John Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Tortola Virgin Islands South America| Saint Thomas Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America|