Cissampelos pareira L.
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Authority
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro. 2005. Vines and climbing plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 51: 1-483.
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Family
Menispermaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Description - Dioecious vine, slightly woody, twining, attaining 3-6 m in length. Stems slender, cylindrical, glabrous or pilose. Leaves alternate, chartaceous, broadly ovate to almost circular, 4-12 x 4-10 cm, the apex rounded, obtuse, emarginate, usually mucronate, the base cordiform, subtruncate, usually peltate; upper surface glabrous, yellowish green or grayish, dull; lower surface pale green, almost whitish, sparsely or densely pubescent, with the venation palmate, prominent, the margin revolute, crenate; petioles cylindrical, pubescent, 2-7 cm long, with the base swollen. Inflorescences of axillary cymes or cauliflorous; bracts of the pistillate inflorescences foliaceous, ovate, pilose. Flowers 1-1.5 mm long, greenish. Calyx pilose. Drupe globose, redorange, 4-5 mm in diameter, fleshy, partially covered by a bract. Seed horseshoe-shaped.
Phenology - Flowering throughout the year.
Conservation Status - Native, very common.
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Common Names
bejuco de mona, pareira, oreja de ratón, velvet leaf