Botanical Survey of India | Flora of India

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Cissus repens Lam., Encycl. 1: 31. 1783; Planchon in DC., Monogr. Phan. 5: 504. 1887. p.p. C. cordata Roxb., Fl. Ind. 1: 407. 1820. C. glauca Roxb., Fl. Ind. 1: 425. 1820 & ed. 2. 1: 406. 1832. Vitis repens. (Lam.) Wight & Arn. in Wight, Cat. 58.1833; M. Lawson in Fl. Brit. India 1: 646. 1875.


Kan.: Elakom bullaballi; Kh.: Meihurijarap, Meijakhajrap; Mal.: Meriampulli; Or.: Diboria; Tel.: Kuppikodda, Nelaboddu, Roggwlambot.

Large climbing shrubs; branches angular, striate, glabrous, glaucous; tendrils branched. Leaves ovate, 7-15 x 5-11 cm, acuminate at apex, cordate at base, dentate-crenate at margins, membranous, glabrous; petioles 2.5-9 cm long. Inflorescences corymbose, umbellate cymes, 5-10 cm long, bracteolate; peduncles 2.5-5 cm long. Flowers 2.5-3 mm long, contorted at apex; pedicels 3-6 mm long, glabrous. Calyx cupular, subtruncate, glabrous. Petals oblong- ovate, ca 2 x 1 mm, acute, slightly hooded, glabrous. Stamens ca 1 mm long; anthers oblong. Disc 4-lobed, covering ovary. Ovary ca 1 mm across; style stout; stigma minute. Berries ellipsoid-pyriform, ca 5 mm across, fleshy, 1- seeded. Seeds ca 5 x 3 mm with the longitudinally encircling ridged raphe.

Fl. & Fr. : Apr. - Dec.

Distrib. India: West Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Orissa, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Nepal to Taiwan, Myanmar, Thailand, Indo-China, Malesia and Indonesia (Java).

Notes. Chromosome number 2n=96 [Vatsala, P. in La Cellule (Louvain) 61: 193-205. 1960].

Uses. The leaves are used as a vegetable. Stems are made into ropes.





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