XLIII. AMPELIDE2E. (M. A. Lawson.) 645 



Scandent shrubs, usually bearing tendrils. Flowers racemose or 



cymose. Ovary 2-celled, cells 2-ovuled 1. VITIS. 



Flowers sessile on the dilated membranous peduncle .... 2. PTEBISAXTHEH. 



Erect shrubs destitute of tendrils. Petals and stamens connate 



with the disk. Ovary 3-6-celled, cells 1-ovuled 3. LEEA. 



1. VZTZS, Linn. 



Sarmentose shrubs, climbing, usually by means of leaf-opposed tendrils, 

 rarely rooting. Leaves simple or 3-9-foliolate and then digitate or pedate, 

 rarely pinnate or bipinnate. Flowers umbellately- paniculately- racemosely- 

 or spicately-cymose, usually ebracteate, sometimes polygamous. Calyx 

 short, entire, or 4-5-toothed or -lobed. Petals 4-5, free or cohering at the 

 apex. Stamens 4-5, inserted below the margins of the disk ; anthers free. 

 Ovary 2- very rarely 3-4-celled ; style or short ; ovules 2 in each cell 

 Berry ovoid or globose, 1-2-celled ; cells 1-2-seeded. DISTRIB. About 230 

 species growing mostly in the tropics and subtropics of Asia, Africa and 

 Polynesia, more rarely in America. 



SECT. I. Leaves simple. 



* Petals and Stamens 4. 



t Flowers umbellately-cymose, 



Stems and branches acutely angled or winged, (See 7, diffusa.) 



1. V. quadrang'ularis, Wall. Cat. 5992 ; stems 4-winged very thick 

 fleshy greatly contracted at the nodes. W. & A. Prodr. 125 ; Wight Ic. 

 t. 51 ; Brand. For. Fl. 100. Cissus edulis, Dalz. in Hook. Lond. Journ. 

 Bot. ix. 248; Dak. & .Gibs. Bomb. Fl. 40 ; Thwaites Enum. 62. C. quad- 

 rangularis, Linn. Mont. 39 ; Roxb. Fl. Ind. i. 407 ; DC. Prodr. i. 628 ; 

 Grah. Cat. Bomb. PL 33 ; Dak. & Gibs. Bomb. Fl. 39. Saelanthus qua- 

 dragonous, Forsk. Descr. 33, t. 2. Rheede Hort. Mai. vii. t. 41. 



Throughout the hotter parts of India, from the foot of the WESTERN HIMALAYAS in 

 Kumaon to CEYLON and MALACCA. DISTRIB. Java, East Africa. 



Stems glabrous, often of a great length, sometimes nearly leafless. Leaves 1-1 i in., 

 broadly cordate or reniform or 3-5-lobed, crenate-serrate, glabrous. Cymes small, 

 shortly peduncled, glabrous. Style conspicuous, slender, stigma small. Berry globose, 

 red, succulent, the size of a pea, very acrid. The stems are frequently eaten by the 

 natives of Ceylon in their curry. 



2. V. g-lyptocarpa, Thwaites Enum. 62 (Cissus) ; branches slender 4- 

 wiriged, leaves 2-3 by 1-1 f in. truncate-cordate acuminate glabrous above, 

 nerves beneath with a few appressed hairs. 



CEYLON ; hot drier parts of the Island, Thwaites. 



Leaves serrate; petiole f-1 1 in. Cymes 3-5-rayed, longer than the petioles, glabrous. 

 Flowers small, rufescent. Petals acute, reflexed. Style conspicuous. Fruit | in., 

 oblong, 1 -seeded, blackish-purple. 



3. V. sagittifolia, Laws. ; very glaucous, stems 4-angled or -winged 

 flaccid not contracted at the joints, leaves cordate-sagittate peltate. V. 

 glaberrima, Wall. Cat. 5991 in part; W. & A. Prodr. 125. Cissus liastata, 

 Mig. Fl. Ind. Bat. Suppl. 517. 



EASTERN PENINSULA; Sincapore, Wallich; Penang, Porter; Malacca, Griffith. 

 DISTRIB. Java. 



