WorldFloraDB - Cissus rotundifolia

Characteristics

Vigorous ± woody climber 1.2–9 m. long, often forming dense masses; stems often purplish; older branches 4(–5)-angled or winged, the wings often becoming corky 1–2.5 cm. wide; younger stems ± terete, striate and rugulose when dry and with the stomata forming conspicuous sunken dots; pubescent or glabrescent, rarely densely ferruginous pubescent; tendrils simple or bifid.. Leaves glaucous, bluish grey, thick and fleshy, round to elliptic or ± ovate, (2–)4–13 cm. long and wide, up to 6 mm. thick, rounded at the apex, cordate at the base, rarely lobed, crenate or remotely to ± closely denticulate or dentate; petiole 0.2–1.7(–4) cm. long, usually ± pubescent; stipules semicircular to ovate, 4–7 mm. long, glabrous, soon falling.. Flowers in lax leaf-opposed or terminal panicles of umbel-like cymes 2.5–25 cm. long; peduncle and axes 0.7–3.5 cm. long, ± pubescent or glabrescent; pedicels 3–5(–13) mm. long, 1–1.5 cm. long in fruit, ± adpressed pubescent or scurfy.. Calyx 2–3 mm. wide, 1 mm. long, entire, glabrous.. Petals green, yellow or yellowish white, 3–3.5 mm. long, glabrous.. Ovary glabrous; style 0.5 mm. long.. Fruits red or purplish, ellipsoid, 1–1.5 cm. long, 0.7–1.3 cm. wide, ± edible, 1–2-seeded.. Seeds ellipsoid, 8–10 mm. long, 5–6 mm. wide, 3–4 mm. thick, with dorsal ridge but otherwise smooth.

More

A vine which either climbs or lies flat on the ground. It does not have spines. It can become woody but the stems are succulent. They develop 4 or 5 ridges with age. It has tendrils. The leaves are simple and almost round. They are 5-8 cm across. The leaves are glossy, green and succulent. The edges of the leaves have blunt teeth. The flowers are in clusters. The flowers are small and green or white. The berry is oval and 1.2 cm long. It is red or purple.

Leaves simple or occasionally lobed; petiole pubescent, up to 1 cm. long; leaf-lamina up to 8 × 8 cm., circular to ovate, obtuse at the apex, margin crenate, cordate at the base, pubescent or glabrescent on both sides, thick and fleshy; stipules up to 4 mm. long, ± semicircular, glabrous, caducous.

Climber, with tendrils. Leaves thick, succulent, circular to ovate, up to 80 x 80 mm, apex obtuse, margin crenate. Flower bud and ovary glabrous. Flowers greenish yellow.

Cymes leaf-opposed and terminal, lax; peduncle 3 cm. long; pedicels 4–5 mm. long lengthening to 10 mm. in fruit, appressed-pubescent.

Vigorous climber; stems often 4–5-angled, pubescent or glabrescent; tendrils 2-fid.

Seeds 1–2 per fruit, 9 mm. long, smooth with single crest.

Fruit 1·5 × 1·3 cm., red when ripe.

Ovary glabrous; style 0·5 mm. long.

Calyx 1 mm. long, entire.

Flower-bud 3·5 × 1·5 mm.

Petals green.

Life form	perennial
Growth form	shrub
Growth support	climber
Foliage retention	evergreen
Sexuality	-
Pollination	-
Spread	-
Mature width (meter)	0.5 - 1.0
Mature height (meter)	1.0 - 1.5
Root system	-
Rooting depth (meter)	-
Root diameter (meter)	-
Flower color
Blooming months	-
Fruit color
Fruiting months	-
Nitrogen fixer	-
Photosynthetic pathway	-

Environment

A tropical plant. It grows well in dry sunny locations. It can grow in arid places. In Zimbabwe it grows up to 500 m above sea level. In Brisbane Botanical Gardens.

Light
Soil humidity	-
Soil texture	-
Soil acidity
Soil nutriment	-
Hardiness (USDA)

Usage

The young shoots are used as a vegetable and for flavouring. The ripe fruit are edible. The tubers are pounded and dried then ground before being added to food as a flavouring.

Uses	food food additive gene source material medicinal
Edible	fruits leaves roots
Therapeutic use	-
Human toxicity	-
Animal toxicity	-

Cultivation

It can be grown from stem cuttings. It can also be grown from seed from which the flesh of the fruit has been removed.

Mode	cuttings seedlings
Germination duration (days)	30 - 180
Germination temperacture (C°)	21 - 23
Germination luminosity	-
Germination treatment	-
Minimum temperature (C°)	-
Optimum temperature (C°)	-
Size	-
Vigor	-
Productivity	-