Parthenocissus
Planchon
Climbing shrubs; tendrils branched, usually with adhesive discs at tips.
Leaves 3-5-foliolate, digitate, long petioled; leaflets subsessile to petiolulate.
Inflorescences leaf-opposed or terminal, pedunculate, corymbose cymes. Flowers
bisexual, greenish to reddish brown. Calyx cupular, truncate or obscurely
5-lobed. Petals 5, free, concave. Stamens 5. Disc thin, obscure, fused with
ovary. Style short, stout; stigma subcapitate, small. Berries subglobose, dark
blue to black, 1-4 -seeded. Seeds obovate to obovate-suborbicular; adaxial
surface keeled, angular with two narrow parallel infolds; abaxial surface convex
with a rounded or elliptic chalazal knot.
In tropical and temperate regions of eastern Asia and North America, but mainly centred in Asia occurring at high altitudes in the Himalayas and hills of Peninsular India; ca 15 species, 2 in India.
In tropical and temperate regions of eastern Asia and North America, but mainly centred in Asia occurring at high altitudes in the Himalayas and hills of Peninsular India; ca 15 species, 2 in India.
KEY TO THE SPECIES
1a. Leaves 3-foliolate; petals with a linear 2-fid appendage at apex | 1. Parthenocissus semicordata |
b. Leaves (3-) 4-5-foliolate; petals without linear 2-fid appendage | 2. Parthenocissus thomsonii |