Cissus Explained

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"^[1] and benefits in terms of "lipid metabolism and oxidative stress".^[2] Cissus quinquangularis was used by the Maasai people of Kenya to relieve some of the symptoms of malaria.^[3]

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.^[4]

Taxonomy

The generic name is derived from the Greek word κισσος (kissos), meaning "ivy".^[5] 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.^[6]

Species

Plants of the World Online currently includes:^[7]

1. Cissus acrantha Lauterb.
2. Cissus acreensis Lombardi
3. Cissus adamii Detoit
4. Cissus adeyana Masinde & L.E.Newton
5. Cissus adnata Roxb.
6. Cissus alata Jacq.  - grape ivy
7. Cissus albida Cambess.
8. Cissus albiporcata Masinde & L.E.Newton
9. Cissus amapaensis Lombardi
10. Cissus ambongensis Desc.
11. Cissus amoena Gilg & M.Brandt
12. Cissus amplexicaulis Trias-Blasi & J.Parn.
13. Cissus anemonifolia Zipp. ex Miq.
14. Cissus angustata Ridl.
15. Cissus anisophylla Lombardi
16. Cissus annamica Gagnep.
17. Cissus antandroy Desc.
18. Cissus antarctica Vent.  - kangaroo treevine
19. Cissus anulata Desc.
20. Cissus apendiculata Lombardi
21. Cissus aphylla Chiov.
22. Cissus aphyllantha Gilg
23. Cissus araguainensis Lombardi
24. Cissus aralioides (Welw. ex Baker) Planch.
25. Cissus arguta Hook.f.
26. Cissus aristata Blume
27. Cissus aristolochiifolia Planch.
28. Cissus aristolochioides Planch.
29. Cissus arnottiana B.V.Shetty & Par.Singh
30. Cissus assamica (M.A.Lawson) Craib
31. Cissus astrotricha Gagnep.
32. Cissus aubertiana (Gage) P.Singh & B.V.Shetty
33. Cissus auricoma Desc.
34. Cissus austroyunnanensis Y.H.Li & Y.Zhang
35. Cissus bachmaensis Gagnep.
36. Cissus bahiensis Lombardi
37. Cissus barbeyana De Wild. & T.Durand
38. Cissus barteri (Baker) Planch.
39. Cissus bathyrhakodes Werderm.
40. Cissus bauerlenii Planch.
41. Cissus behrmannii Lauterb.
42. Cissus bequaertii Detoit
43. Cissus bicolor Domin
44. Cissus biformifolia Standl.
45. Cissus blanchetiana Planch.
46. Cissus boivinii Planch.
47. Cissus bosseri Desc.
48. Cissus bracteosa Lombardi
49. Cissus brevipes C.V.Morton & Standl.
50. Cissus cactiformis Gilg
51. Cissus cacuminis Standl.
52. Cissus caesia Afzel.
53. Cissus calcicola Craib
54. Cissus camiriensis Lombardi
55. Cissus campestris (Baker) Planch.
56. Cissus carrissoi Exell & Mendonça
57. Cissus cerasiformis (Teijsm. & Binn.) Planch.
58. Cissus coccinea (Baker) Mart. ex Planch.
59. Cissus cochinchinensis Spreng.
60. Cissus colombiensis Lombardi
61. Cissus comosa Desc.
62. Cissus compressiflora Lombardi
63. Cissus conchigera Ridl.
64. Cissus convolvulacea Planch.
65. Cissus cornifolia (Baker) Planch.
66. Cissus corylifolia (Baker) Planch.
67. Cissus coursii Desc.
68. Cissus craibii Gagnep.
69. Cissus crusei Wild & R.B.Drumm.
70. Cissus cucumerifolia Planch.
71. Cissus cucurbitina Standl.
72. Cissus cuspidata Planch.
73. Cissus cussonioides Schinz
74. Cissus darik Miq.
75. Cissus dasyantha Gilg & M.Brandt
76. Cissus dealbata Bedd.
77. Cissus decaryi Wahlert & Phillipson
78. Cissus decidua Lombardi
79. Cissus descoingsii Lombardi
80. Cissus dewevrei De Wild. & T.Durand
81. Cissus dichotoma Blume
82. Cissus diffusiflora (Baker) Planch.
83. Cissus dinklagei Gilg & M.Brandt
84. Cissus discolor Blume
85. Cissus diversilobata C.A.Sm.
86. Cissus doeringii Gilg & M.Brandt
87. Cissus duarteana Cambess.
88. Cissus duboisii Dewit
89. Cissus egestosa Werderm.
90. Cissus ellenbeckii Gilg & M.Brandt
91. Cissus elongata Roxb.
92. Cissus erecta S.H.Cho & Y.D.Kim
93. Cissus erosa Rich.  - caro de tres hojas
94. Cissus evrardii Gagnep.
95. Cissus fanshawei Wild & R.B.Drumm.
96. Cissus farinosa Planch.
97. Cissus faucicola Wild & R.B.Drumm.
98. Cissus flavifolia Lombardi
99. Cissus floribunda (Baker) Planch.
100. Cissus forsteniana (Miq.) Planch.
101. Cissus fragilis E.Mey. ex Harv.
102. Cissus fuliginea Kunth
103. Cissus furcifera Chiov.
104. Cissus fusifolia Lombardi
105. Cissus gambiana Desc.
106. Cissus gardneri Thwaites
107. Cissus glandulosa (Forssk. ex J.F.Gmel.) J.F.Gmel.
108. Cissus glaucophylla Hook.f.
109. Cissus glaucotricha Lombardi
110. Cissus glossopetala (Baker) Suess.
111. Cissus glyptocarpa Thwaites
112. Cissus gongylodes (Baker) Burch. ex Baker  - marble treevine
113. Cissus gossweileri Exell & Mendonça
114. Cissus gossypiifolia Standl.
115. Cissus goudotii Planch.
116. Cissus grisea (Baker) Planch.
117. Cissus guerkeana (Büttner) T.Durand & Schinz
118. Cissus haematantha Miq.
119. Cissus hamaderohensis Radcl.-Sm.
120. Cissus hastata Miq.
121. Cissus heteroma Turcz.
122. Cissus heterophylla Poir.
123. Cissus heterotoma Turcz.
124. Cissus hexangularis Thorel ex Planch.
125. Cissus heyneana Steud.
126. Cissus hookeri Ridl.
127. Cissus humbertiana Desc.
128. Cissus humbertii Robyns & Lawalrée
129. Cissus hypoglauca A.Gray
130. Cissus integrifolia Planch.
131. Cissus intermedia A.Rich.
132. Cissus inundata (Baker) Planch.
133. Cissus kerrii Craib
134. Cissus koordersii (Backer) Amshoff
135. Cissus kouandeensis A.Chev.
136. Cissus kouilouensis Desc.
137. Cissus lamprophylla Gilg & M.Brandt
138. Cissus lanea Desc.
139. Cissus latifolia Lam.
140. Cissus lebrunii Dewit
141. Cissus leemansii Dewit
142. Cissus lemurica Desc.
143. Cissus lenticellata (Baker) Suess.
144. Cissus leonardii Dewit
145. Cissus leucophlea (Scott Elliot) Suess.
146. Cissus lineata Warb.
147. Cissus lonchiphylla Thwaites
148. Cissus longicymosa Lombardi
149. Cissus louisii Detoit
150. Cissus luzoniensis (Merr.) C.L.Li
151. Cissus macrobotrys Turcz.
152. Cissus macrophylla Jungh.
153. Cissus madecassa Desc.
154. Cissus marcanii Craib
155. Cissus mauritiana Desc.
156. Cissus mexicana Moc. & Sessé ex DC.
157. Cissus microcarpa Vahl
158. Cissus microdonta (Baker) Planch.
159. Cissus miegei Tchoumé
160. Cissus migeodii Verdc.
161. Cissus milnei Verdc.
162. Cissus mirabilis (Urb. & Ekman) Lombardi
163. Cissus morifolia Planch.
164. Cissus narinensis Lombardi
165. Cissus neei Croat
166. Cissus nicaraguensis Lombardi
167. Cissus nigropilosa Dewit
168. Cissus nobilis Kuhlm.
169. Cissus nodosa Blume
170. Cissus notabilis Doweld
171. Cissus novemfolia (Wall. ex M.A.Lawson) Planch.
172. Cissus nymphaeifolia (Welw. ex Baker) Planch.
173. Cissus obliqua Ruiz & Pav.
174. Cissus oblonga (Benth.) Planch.
175. Cissus oblongifolia Merr.
176. Cissus obovata Vahl
177. Cissus oliveri (Engl.) Gilg ex Engl.
178. Cissus oreophila Gilg & M.Brandt
179. Cissus osaensis Lombardi
180. Cissus oxyodonta (Baker) Desc.
181. Cissus palmata Poir.
182. Cissus palmatifida (Baker) Planch.
183. Cissus paniculata (Balf.f.) Planch.
184. Cissus paraensis Lombardi
185. Cissus parviflora Schult. & Schult.f.
186. Cissus patellicalyx Lombardi
187. Cissus paucinervia Lombardi
188. Cissus paullinifolia Vell.
189. Cissus peltata Turcz.
190. Cissus penninervis (F.Muell.) Planch.
191. Cissus pentaclada Jackes
192. Cissus pentagona Roxb.
193. Cissus perrieri Desc.
194. Cissus peruviana Lombardi
195. Cissus petiolata Hook.f.
196. Cissus phymatocarpa Masinde & L.E.Newton
197. Cissus picardae Urb.
198. Cissus pileata Desc.
199. Cissus pingtungensis S.S.Ying
200. Cissus pinnatifolia Lombardi
201. Cissus planchoniana Gilg
202. Cissus planchonii Gagnep.
203. Cissus polita Desc.
204. Cissus polyantha Gilg & M.Brandt
205. Cissus populnea Guill. & Perr.
206. Cissus producta Afzel.
207. Cissus prunifera Desc.
208. Cissus × pseudocaesia Gilg & M.Brandt
209. Cissus pseudofuliginea Lombardi
210. Cissus pseudoguerkeana Verdc.
211. Cissus pseudopolyantha Mildbr.
212. Cissus pseudoverticillata Lombardi
213. Cissus psoralifolia (F.Muell.) Planch.
214. Cissus pteroclada Hayata
215. Cissus pubinervis Blume
216. Cissus pulcherrima Vell.
217. Cissus pynaertii De Wild.
218. Cissus quadrangularis L.
219. Cissus quadricornuta (Miq.) Hochr.
220. Cissus quarrei Dewit
221. Cissus quinquangularis Chiov.
222. Cissus reniformis Domin
223. Cissus repanda (Wight & Arn.) Vahl
224. Cissus repens Lam.
225. Cissus rhamnoidea Planch.
226. Cissus rheifolia Planch.
227. Cissus rhodotricha (Baker) Desc.
228. Cissus robinsonii (Ridl.) Craib
229. Cissus rondoensis Verdc.
230. Cissus rostrata (Miq.) Korth. ex Planch.
231. Cissus rotundifolia Vahl
232. Cissus rubiginosa (Welw. ex Baker) Planch.
233. Cissus rubropilosa Lombardi
234. Cissus rufescens Guill. & Perr.
235. Cissus ruginosicarpa Desc.
236. Cissus ruspolii Gilg
237. Cissus sagittifer Desc.
238. Cissus salehi Lodé
239. Cissus saponaria (Benth.) Planch.
240. Cissus schmitzii Dewit
241. Cissus sciaphila Gilg
242. Cissus senegalensis Lavie
243. Cissus serroniana (Glaz.) Lombardi
244. Cissus serrulatifolia L.O.Williams
245. Cissus silvestris Tchoumé
246. Cissus smithiana (Baker) Planch.
247. Cissus spinosa Cambess.
248. Cissus sterculiifolia (F.Muell. ex Benth.) Planch.
249. Cissus stipulata Vell.
250. Cissus subaphylla (Balf.f.) Planch.
251. Cissus suberecta Bedd.
252. Cissus subhastata Gagnep.
253. Cissus subramanyamii B.V.Shetty & Par.Singh
254. Cissus subrhomboidea (Baker) Planch.
255. Cissus sue Gilg & M.Brandt
256. Cissus sulcicaulis (Baker) Planch.
257. Cissus sulfurosa Desc.
258. Cissus sumatrana Latiff
259. Cissus surinamensis Desc.
260. Cissus sylvicola Masinde & L.E.Newton
261. Cissus terengganuensis Latiff
262. Cissus teysmannii Miq.
263. Cissus tiliacea Kunth
264. Cissus tiliiformis Desc.
265. Cissus tinctoria Mart.
266. Cissus touraensis A.Chev.
267. Cissus trianae Planch.
268. Cissus trifoliata (L.) L.
269. Cissus trigona Willd.
270. Cissus triloba (Lour.) Merr.
271. Cissus triternata Miq.
272. Cissus trothae Gilg & M.Brandt
273. Cissus ursina Lombardi
274. Cissus uvifer Afzel.
275. Cissus venezuelensis Steyerm.
276. Cissus verticillata (L.) Nicolson & C.E.Jarvis  - Seasonvine^[8]
277. Cissus vinosa Jackes
278. Cissus viridescens Ridl.
279. Cissus vitiginea L.
280. Cissus voanonala (Baker) Suess.
281. Cissus wallacei Verdc.
282. Cissus wellmanii Gilg & M.Brandt
283. Cissus welwitschii (Baker) Planch.
284. Cissus wenshanensis C.L.Li
285. Cissus woodrowii (Stapf ex Cooke) Santapau
286. Cissus wrightiana Planch.
287. Cissus xerophila Lombardi
288. Cissus youngii Exell & Mendonça
289. 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.)^[8]

External links

• Cissus striata pictures at Chilebosque
• Description of the genus

Notes and References

1. 10.1016/j.jep.2005.08.076 . Protective effect of Cissus quadrangularis on neutrophil mediated tissue injury induced by aspirin in rats . 2006 . Jainu . M . Mohan . K . Devi . C . Journal of Ethnopharmacology . 104 . 3 . 302–5 . 16338111.
2. 10.1186/1476-511X-6-4 . 2007 . Oben . Julius E . Enyegue . Damaris . Fomekong . Gilles I . Soukontoua . Yves B . Agbor . Gabriel A . Lipids in Health and Disease . 6 . 4 . 17274828 . The effect of Cissus quadrangularis (CQR-300) and a Cissus formulation (CORE) on obesity and obesity-induced oxidative stress . 1800848 . free.
3. 10.1186/1746-4269-2-22 . 2006 . Rainer W. Bussmann . Bussmann . Rainer W . Gilbreath . Genevieve G . Solio . John . Lutura . Manja . Lutuluo . Rumpac . Kunguru . Kimaren . Wood . Nick . Mathenge . Simon G . Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine . 2 . 22 . 16674830 . Plant use of the Maasai of Sekenani Valley, Maasai Mara, Kenya . 1475560 . free.
4. Seed-dispersal by elephants in a tropical rain forest in Kahuzi-Biega National Park . 526–530 . Biotropica . 27 . 4 . Yumoto . Marushashi . Yamagiwa . Mwanza . 1995 . 10.2307/2388968 . 2388968.
5. Book: Eggli, Urs . Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants . 5: Dicotyledons . Springer . 2002 . 978-3-540-41966-2 . 452.
6. page 96
7. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:325875-2 Plants of the World Online: Cissus L. (retrieved 24 December 2021)
8. Web site: Species Records of Cissus . Germplasm Resources Information Network . United States Department of Agriculture . 7 July 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090120141829/http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?2630 . 20 January 2009 . dead.