Cissus

Cissus is a genus of approximately 350 species of lianas (woody vines) in the grape family (Vitaceae). They have a cosmopolitan distribution, though the majority are to be found in the tropics.
Uses
Medicinal
Cissus quadrangularis has been evaluated for potential medical uses. As a source of carotenoids, triterpenoids and ascorbic acid the extracts may have potential for medical effects, including "gastroprotective activity" and benefits in terms of "lipid metabolism and oxidative stress". Cissus quinquangularis was used by the Maasai people of Kenya to relieve some of the symptoms of malaria.
Ornamental
Cissus antarctica, Cissus alata and Cissus incisa are cultivated as garden plants, depending on area of the world. Succulent members of the genus such as Cissus quadrangularis are also found in the nursery trade but tend to be frost tender and are thus not widely cultivated.
Ecology
Cissus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Hypercompe eridanus and Hypercompe icasia. They are also consumed by chimpanzees.
Taxonomy
The generic name is derived from the Greek word κισσος (kissos), meaning "ivy". In the 1980s the genus was split according to some details of the flower. The large caudiciform species were moved to the new genus Cyphostemma.
The genus name was established by Carl Linnaeus who used species epithets that are adjectives with feminine grammatical gender in Latin (e.g., C. trifoliata L.). This matches the pattern that names of trees ending in -us in Latin have feminine gender, although other plant names ending in -us are usually masculine.
Species
Plants of the World Online currently includes:
Cissus acrantha Lauterb.
Cissus acreensis Lombardi
Cissus adamii Detoit
Cissus adeyana Masinde & L.E.Newton
Cissus adnata Roxb.
Cissus alata Jacq. – grape ivy
Cissus albida Cambess.
Cissus albiporcata Masinde & L.E.Newton
Cissus amapaensis Lombardi
Cissus ambongensis Desc.
Cissus amoena Gilg & M.Brandt
Cissus amplexicaulis Trias-Blasi & J.Parn.
Cissus anemonifolia Zipp. ex Miq.
Cissus angustata Ridl.
Cissus anisophylla Lombardi
Cissus annamica Gagnep.
Cissus antandroy Desc.
Cissus antarctica Vent. – kangaroo treevine
Cissus anulata Desc.
Cissus apendiculata Lombardi
Cissus aphylla Chiov.
Cissus aphyllantha Gilg
Cissus araguainensis Lombardi
Cissus aralioides (Welw. ex Baker) Planch.
Cissus arguta Hook.f.
Cissus aristata Blume
Cissus aristolochiifolia Planch.
Cissus aristolochioides Planch.
Cissus arnottiana B.V.Shetty & Par.Singh
Cissus assamica (M.A.Lawson) Craib
Cissus astrotricha Gagnep.
Cissus aubertiana (Gage) P.Singh & B.V.Shetty
Cissus auricoma Desc.
Cissus austroyunnanensis Y.H.Li & Y.Zhang
Cissus bachmaensis Gagnep.
Cissus bahiensis Lombardi
Cissus barbeyana De Wild. & T.Durand
Cissus barteri (Baker) Planch.
Cissus bathyrhakodes Werderm.
Cissus bauerlenii Planch.
Cissus behrmannii Lauterb.
Cissus bequaertii Detoit
Cissus bicolor Domin
Cissus biformifolia Standl.
Cissus blanchetiana Planch.
Cissus boivinii Planch.
Cissus bosseri Desc.
Cissus bracteosa Lombardi
Cissus brevipes C.V.Morton & Standl.
Cissus cactiformis Gilg
Cissus cacuminis Standl.
Cissus caesia Afzel.
Cissus calcicola Craib
Cissus camiriensis Lombardi
Cissus campestris (Baker) Planch.
Cissus carrissoi Exell & Mendonça
Cissus cerasiformis (Teijsm. & Binn.) Planch.
Cissus coccinea (Baker) Mart. ex Planch.
Cissus cochinchinensis Spreng.
Cissus colombiensis Lombardi
Cissus comosa Desc.
Cissus compressiflora Lombardi
Cissus conchigera Ridl.
Cissus convolvulacea Planch.
Cissus cornifolia (Baker) Planch.
Cissus corylifolia (Baker) Planch.
Cissus coursii Desc.
Cissus craibii Gagnep.
Cissus crusei Wild & R.B.Drumm.
Cissus cucumerifolia Planch.
Cissus cucurbitina Standl.
Cissus cuspidata Planch.
Cissus cussonioides Schinz
Cissus darik Miq.
Cissus dasyantha Gilg & M.Brandt
Cissus dealbata Bedd.
Cissus decaryi Wahlert & Phillipson
Cissus decidua Lombardi
Cissus descoingsii Lombardi
Cissus dewevrei De Wild. & T.Durand
Cissus dichotoma Blume
Cissus diffusiflora (Baker) Planch.
Cissus dinklagei Gilg & M.Brandt
Cissus discolor Blume
Cissus diversilobata C.A.Sm.
Cissus doeringii Gilg & M.Brandt
Cissus duarteana Cambess.
Cissus duboisii Dewit
Cissus egestosa Werderm.
Cissus ellenbeckii Gilg & M.Brandt
Cissus elongata Roxb.
Cissus erecta S.H.Cho & Y.D.Kim
Cissus erosa Rich. – caro de tres hojas
Cissus evrardii Gagnep.
Cissus fanshawei Wild & R.B.Drumm.
Cissus farinosa Planch.
Cissus faucicola Wild & R.B.Drumm.
Cissus flavifolia Lombardi
Cissus floribunda (Baker) Planch.
Cissus forsteniana (Miq.) Planch.
Cissus fragilis E.Mey. ex Harv.
Cissus fuliginea Kunth
Cissus furcifera Chiov.
Cissus fusifolia Lombardi
Cissus gambiana Desc.
Cissus gardneri Thwaites
Cissus glandulosa (Forssk. ex J.F.Gmel.) J.F.Gmel.
Cissus glaucophylla Hook.f.
Cissus glaucotricha Lombardi
Cissus glossopetala (Baker) Suess.
Cissus glyptocarpa Thwaites
Cissus gongylodes (Baker) Burch. ex Baker – marble treevine
Cissus gossweileri Exell & Mendonça
Cissus gossypiifolia Standl.
Cissus goudotii Planch.
Cissus grisea (Baker) Planch.
Cissus guerkeana (Büttner) T.Durand & Schinz
Cissus haematantha Miq.
Cissus hamaderohensis Radcl.-Sm.
Cissus hastata Miq.
Cissus heteroma Turcz.
Cissus heterophylla Poir.
Cissus heterotoma Turcz.
Cissus hexangularis Thorel ex Planch.
Cissus heyneana Steud.
Cissus hookeri Ridl.
Cissus humbertiana Desc.
Cissus humbertii Robyns & Lawalrée
Cissus hypoglauca A.Gray
Cissus integrifolia Planch.
Cissus intermedia A.Rich.
Cissus inundata (Baker) Planch.
Cissus kerrii Craib
Cissus koordersii (Backer) Amshoff
Cissus kouandeensis A.Chev.
Cissus kouilouensis Desc.
Cissus lamprophylla Gilg & M.Brandt
Cissus lanea Desc.
Cissus latifolia Lam.
Cissus lebrunii Dewit
Cissus leemansii Dewit
Cissus lemurica Desc.
Cissus lenticellata (Baker) Suess.
Cissus leonardii Dewit
Cissus leucophlea (Scott Elliot) Suess.
Cissus lineata Warb.
Cissus lonchiphylla Thwaites
Cissus longicymosa Lombardi
Cissus louisii Detoit
Cissus luzoniensis (Merr.) C.L.Li
Cissus macrobotrys Turcz.
Cissus macrophylla Jungh.
Cissus madecassa Desc.
Cissus marcanii Craib
Cissus mauritiana Desc.
Cissus mexicana Moc. & Sessé ex DC.
Cissus microcarpa Vahl
Cissus microdonta (Baker) Planch.
Cissus miegei Tchoumé
Cissus migeodii Verdc.
Cissus milnei Verdc.
Cissus mirabilis (Urb. & Ekman) Lombardi
Cissus morifolia Planch.
Cissus narinensis Lombardi
Cissus neei Croat
Cissus nicaraguensis Lombardi
Cissus nigropilosa Dewit
Cissus nobilis Kuhlm.
Cissus nodosa Blume
Cissus notabilis Doweld
Cissus novemfolia (Wall. ex M.A.Lawson) Planch.
Cissus nymphaeifolia (Welw. ex Baker) Planch.
Cissus obliqua Ruiz & Pav.
Cissus oblonga (Benth.) Planch.
Cissus oblongifolia Merr.
Cissus obovata Vahl
Cissus oliveri (Engl.) Gilg ex Engl.
Cissus oreophila Gilg & M.Brandt
Cissus osaensis Lombardi
Cissus oxyodonta (Baker) Desc.
Cissus palmata Poir.
Cissus palmatifida (Baker) Planch.
Cissus paniculata (Balf.f.) Planch.
Cissus paraensis Lombardi
Cissus parviflora Schult. & Schult.f.
Cissus patellicalyx Lombardi
Cissus paucinervia Lombardi
Cissus paullinifolia Vell.
Cissus peltata Turcz.
Cissus penninervis (F.Muell.) Planch.
Cissus pentaclada Jackes
Cissus pentagona Roxb.
Cissus perrieri Desc.
Cissus peruviana Lombardi
Cissus petiolata Hook.f.
Cissus phymatocarpa Masinde & L.E.Newton
Cissus picardae Urb.
Cissus pileata Desc.
Cissus pingtungensis S.S.Ying
Cissus pinnatifolia Lombardi
Cissus planchoniana Gilg
Cissus planchonii Gagnep.
Cissus polita Desc.
Cissus polyantha Gilg & M.Brandt
Cissus populnea Guill. & Perr.
Cissus producta Afzel.
Cissus prunifera Desc.
Cissus × pseudocaesia Gilg & M.Brandt
Cissus pseudofuliginea Lombardi
Cissus pseudoguerkeana Verdc.
Cissus pseudopolyantha Mildbr.
Cissus pseudoverticillata Lombardi
Cissus psoralifolia (F.Muell.) Planch.
Cissus pteroclada Hayata
Cissus pubinervis Blume
Cissus pulcherrima Vell.
Cissus pynaertii De Wild.
Cissus quadrangularis L.
Cissus quadricornuta (Miq.) Hochr.
Cissus quarrei Dewit
Cissus quinquangularis Chiov.
Cissus reniformis Domin
Cissus repanda (Wight & Arn.) Vahl
Cissus repens Lam.
Cissus rhamnoidea Planch.
Cissus rheifolia Planch.
Cissus rhodotricha (Baker) Desc.
Cissus robinsonii (Ridl.) Craib
Cissus rondoensis Verdc.
Cissus rostrata (Miq.) Korth. ex Planch.
Cissus rotundifolia Vahl
Cissus rubiginosa (Welw. ex Baker) Planch.
Cissus rubropilosa Lombardi
Cissus rufescens Guill. & Perr.
Cissus ruginosicarpa Desc.
Cissus ruspolii Gilg
Cissus sagittifer Desc.
Cissus salehi Lodé
Cissus saponaria (Benth.) Planch.
Cissus schmitzii Dewit
Cissus sciaphila Gilg
Cissus senegalensis Lavie
Cissus serroniana (Glaz.) Lombardi
Cissus serrulatifolia L.O.Williams
Cissus silvestris Tchoumé
Cissus smithiana (Baker) Planch.
Cissus spinosa Cambess.
Cissus sterculiifolia (F.Muell. ex Benth.) Planch.
Cissus stipulata Vell.
Cissus subaphylla (Balf.f.) Planch.
Cissus suberecta Bedd.
Cissus subhastata Gagnep.
Cissus subramanyamii B.V.Shetty & Par.Singh
Cissus subrhomboidea (Baker) Planch.
Cissus sue Gilg & M.Brandt
Cissus sulcicaulis (Baker) Planch.
Cissus sulfurosa Desc.
Cissus sumatrana Latiff
Cissus surinamensis Desc.
Cissus sylvicola Masinde & L.E.Newton
Cissus terengganuensis Latiff
Cissus teysmannii Miq.
Cissus tiliacea Kunth
Cissus tiliiformis Desc.
Cissus tinctoria Mart.
Cissus touraensis A.Chev.
Cissus trianae Planch.
Cissus trifoliata (L.) L.
Cissus trigona Willd.
Cissus triloba (Lour.) Merr.
Cissus triternata Miq.
Cissus trothae Gilg & M.Brandt
Cissus ursina Lombardi
Cissus uvifer Afzel.
Cissus venezuelensis Steyerm.
Cissus verticillata (L.) Nicolson & C.E.Jarvis – Seasonvine
Cissus vinosa Jackes
Cissus viridescens Ridl.
Cissus vitiginea L.
Cissus voanonala (Baker) Suess.
Cissus wallacei Verdc.
Cissus wellmanii Gilg & M.Brandt
Cissus welwitschii (Baker) Planch.
Cissus wenshanensis C.L.Li
Cissus woodrowii (Stapf ex Cooke) Santapau
Cissus wrightiana Planch.
Cissus xerophila Lombardi
Cissus youngii Exell & Mendonça
Cissus zombitsy Desc.
Formerly placed here
Ampelopsis glandulosa var. brevipedunculata (Maxim.) Momiy (as C. brevipedunculata Maxim.)
Ampelopsis orientalis (Lam.) Planch. (as C. orientalis Lam.)
Ampelopsis vitifolia Planch. (as C. vitifolia Boiss.)
Cayratia geniculata (Blume) Gagnep. (as C. geniculata Blume)
Cayratia trifolia (L.) Domin (as C. trifolia (L.) K.Schum.)
Clematicissus opaca
Cyphostemma bainesii (Hook.f.) Desc. (as C. bainesii (Hook.f.) Gilg & M.Brandt)
Cyphostemma cirrhosum (Thunb.) Desc. (as C. cirrhosa (Thunb.) Willd.)
Cyphostemma currorii (Hook.f.) Desc. (as C. currorii Hook.f. or C. crameriana Schinz)
Cyphostemma juttae (Dinter & Gilg) Desc. (as C. juttae Dinter & Gilg)
Rhoicissus tomentosa (Lam.) Wild & R.B.Drumm. (as C. capensis Willd. or C. tomentosa Lam.)
Strychnos umbellata (Lour.) Merr. (as C. umbellata Lour.)
Tetrastigma leucostaphylum (Dennst.) Alston ex Mabb. (as C. lanceolaria Roxb. or C. leucostaphyla Dennst.)
Tetrastigma serrulatum (Roxb.) Planch. (as C. serrulata Roxb.)
Image gallery
References
External links
Cissus striata pictures at Chilebosque
Description of the genus
Vines
Medicinal plants
Vitaceae genera