Cissus trilobata Lam., Encycl. 1: 31. 1783. Vitis rheedei Wight & Arn., Prodr. Fl. Penins. Ind. Orient. 127. 1834; M. Lawson in Fl. Brit India 1: 6S3. 1875. nom. illegit. Purio trilobata (Lam.) Nair in Biol. Land. Pl. 127. 1972.

Climbing shrubs; branches terete, subfleshy, glabrous; tendrils stout, simple. Leaves 3-foliolate or 3-lobed, glabrous; petioles 3.5-6 cm long; terminal leaflets elliptic-lanceolate, 8-15 x 2.5 -4 cm, acute-acuminate at apex, attenuate at base, bristly-serrate at margins; petiolules ca 4 mm long; lateral leaflets subsessile, oblique at base, otherwise as in temrinal leaflets. Inflorescences divaricate, subumbellate cymes, 2.5-4 cm long; peduncles ca 1 cm long. Flowers ca 2.5 mm long; pedicels 2-3 mm long. Calyx saucer-shaped, subtruncate, glabrous. Petals oblong ovate, ca 2 x 1 mm, acute, hooded, glabrous. Stamens ca 1.5 mm long; filaments flattened; anthers oblong. Disc 4-lobed, enclosing ovary. Ovary ca 1.5 mm across; style stout; stigma subcapitate. Berries obovoid, 6-7 mm across, black, 1-seeded. Seeds ca 6 x 4 mm, mucronate, slightly laterally compressed, smooth except for the ridged raphe encircling longitudinally and the 2 shallow pits at base.

Fl. & Fr. : May - March.

Distrib. India : Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Lakshadweep.

Sri Lanka.

Notes. Chromosome number 2n=24 [Vatsala, P. in La Cellule (Louvain) 61: 193-205. 1960].

Nair On Puri, V. et al., Biol. Land Pl. 127. 1974) erected a new genus, Puria to accomodate this species mainly on the basis of an embryological peculiarity. But morphological features and cytological data support its placement in the genus Cissus.

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