''Cissampelos'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family

Menispermaceae Menispermaceae (botanical Latin: 'moonseed family' from Greek ''mene'' 'crescent moon' and ''sperma'' 'seed') is a family of flowering plants. The alkaloid tubocurarine, a neuromuscular blocker and the active ingredient in the 'tube curare' form ...

. Various species of this genus have a history of use in various traditions of

herbal medicine Herbal medicine (also herbalism) is the study of pharmacognosy and the use of medicinal plants, which are a basis of traditional medicine. With worldwide research into pharmacology, some herbal medicines have been translated into modern remed ...

. Moreover, many of these plants were used as

curare Curare ( /kʊˈrɑːri/ or /kjʊˈrɑːri/; ''koo-rah-ree'' or ''kyoo-rah-ree'') is a common name for various alkaloid arrow poisons originating from plant extracts. Used as a paralyzing agent by indigenous peoples in Central and South ...

applied as arrow poison during hunting. ''

Cissampelos pareira ''Cissampelos pareira'' (velvetleaf) is a species of flowering plant in the family Menispermaceae. Morphology It is a slender tomentose climber. The leaves are peltate, 2.5–12 cm long, 2.5–11.5 cm broad, triangularly broad-ovate, ...

'' is used in

Chinese herbology Chinese herbology () is the theory of traditional Chinese herbal therapy, which accounts for the majority of treatments in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). A ''Nature'' editorial described TCM as "fraught with pseudoscience", and said that t ...

, where it is called ''xí shēng téng'' ( 锡生藤) or ''yà hū nú'' ( 亞乎奴). The species is also known as abuta and is also called ''laghu patha'' in

Ayurvedic medicine Ayurveda () is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. The theory and practice of Ayurveda is pseudoscientific. Ayurveda is heavily practiced in India and Nepal, where around 80% of the population repor ...

. The

Maasai people The Maasai (; sw, Wamasai) are a Nilotic ethnic group inhabiting northern, central and southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. They are among the best-known local populations internationally due to their residence near the many game parks of t ...

Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

use '' Cissampelos mucronata'' as a

forage Forage is a plant material (mainly plant leaves and stems) eaten by grazing livestock. Historically, the term ''forage'' has meant only plants eaten by the animals directly as pasture, crop residue, or immature cereal crops, but it is also used m ...

for their

cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult mal ...

Selected species

21 accepted species + 1 newly discovered species * '' Cissampelos andromorpha'' DC. * '' Cissampelos arenicola'' Ortiz RdC, MH Nee. 2014 New speciesNew Species of Sand-Dwelling Plant Discovered in Bolivia, Paraguay
/ref> * '' Cissampelos capensis'' L.f. * '' Cissampelos fasciculata'' Benth. * '' Cissampelos friesiorum'' Diels * '' Cissampelos glaberrima'' A.St.-Hil. * '' Cissampelos grandifolia'' Triana & Planch. * '' Cissampelos hirta'' Klotzsch * '' Cissampelos hispida'' Forman * '' Cissampelos laxiflora'' Moldenke * '' Cissampelos mucronata'' A.Rich. * '' Cissampelos nepalensis'' Rhodes * '' Cissampelos nigrescens'' Diels * '' Cissampelos ovalifolia'' DC. * '' Cissampelos owariensis'' P.Beauv. ex DC. * ''

'' L. * '' Cissampelos rigidifolia'' (Engl.) Diels * '' Cissampelos sympodialis'' Eichler * '' Cissampelos tenuipes'' Engl. * '' Cissampelos torulosa'' E.Mey. ex Harv. & Sond. * '' Cissampelos tropaeolifolia'' DC. * '' Cissampelos verticillata'' Rhodes

References

External links

*https://web.archive.org/web/20131105201226/http://www.africamuseum.be/prelude/prelude_pic/Cissampelos_mucronata2.jpg - plant image Menispermaceae Menispermaceae genera Plants used in traditional Chinese medicine {{Menispermaceae-stub