Ivy-Vine

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Ivy-Vine

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Cissampelos pareira var. macrostachya
• Cissampelos pareira var. pachyphylla
• Cissampelos aristolochiifolia
• Cissampelos macrostachya
• Cissampelos natalensis
• Cissampelos senensis
• Cissampelos vogelii
• Cissampelos zairensis
• Cissampelos pareira var. mucronata
• Cissampelos pareira var. senensis
• Cissampelos pareira var. zairensis
• Cissampelos comata
• Cissampelos apiculata
• Cissampelos pareira var. reniformis
• Cissampelos pareira var. deglabrescens
• Cissampelos pareira var. asperifolia

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Ranunculales, it is classified under the family Menispermaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Cissampelos.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Cissampelos mucronata, exhibits a specific geographical distribution across several regions of West Tropical Africa. Its presence is documented within the borders of Benin, where it thrives in local ecosystems. The species can also be found stretching across the territories of Burkina and the Gambia. Furthermore, its range extends into the coastal and inland areas of Ghana. Finally, the distribution of this medicinal plant includes the nation of Guinea-Bissau.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Cissampelos mucronata is characterized by a broad adaptability to diverse topographical gradients, allowing it to inhabit a wide variety of environmental conditions. It exhibits a significant vertical distribution across its natural range, thriving in habitats that span from low-lying coastal or lowland areas up to montane regions. Specifically, the species is found at elevations starting from a minimum of 15 m AMSL and extending to a maximum altitude of 1850 m AMSL. This extensive elevational range suggests that the plant can tolerate varying temperature regimes, moisture levels, and light intensities, enabling it to colonize multiple ecological niches within its geographic territory.

Elevational range max:

1850 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

15 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Cissampelos mucronata is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to persist in its environment over multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, its regenerative buds are located high above the ground on woody stems, a structural adaptation that facilitates its climbing or sprawling growth habit. This phanerophyte life form enables the plant to navigate complex vegetation layers, utilizing its sustained perennial lifecycle to establish a robust presence within its ecological niche.

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Cissampelos mucronata is characterized by its growth habit as an obligatory climbing liana that exhibits woody characteristics. This plant functions as an independent organism, neither acting as a parasite nor as an epiphyte, maintaining a terrestrial lifestyle. While its growth form can be categorized as both a shrub and a herb depending on the developmental stage or environmental conditions, it typically reaches a plant height ranging from a minimum of 2 meters to a maximum of 2.5 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

liana

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

2.5 m

Plant height min:

2 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Cissampelos mucronata is characterized by its metabolic and nutrient acquisition strategies, specifically operating through a C3 photosynthetic pathway. This carbon fixation method involves the direct carboxylation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate by the enzyme RuBisCO, which is typical for many woody climbers and shrubs in various tropical environments. Regarding its interaction with soil nutrients, the plant is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a bioavailable form, and instead relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium present in the soil substrate.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Cissampelos mucronata is characterized by a specific reproductive strategy that excludes self-fertilization, as the trait for self-fertilization is noted as absent, suggesting a reliance on cross-pollination to maintain genetic diversity. The plant utilizes a zoochorous dispersal syndrome, specifically employing endozoochory, where seeds are dispersed through the digestive tracts of animals. The seeds produced exhibit a relatively consistent size, with a mean seed mass of 0.013755 g, ranging from a minimum of 0.01072 g to a maximum of 0.01679 g.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

endozoochorous

Seed mass max:

0.01679 g

Seed mass mean:

0.013755 g

Seed mass min:

0.01072 g

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Cissampelos mucronata has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Glycosides, Tannins.

Flavonoids

1. Bollettino chimico farmaceutico

Glycosides

1. Bollettino chimico farmaceutico

Tannins

1. Bollettino chimico farmaceutico

Conditions

Cissampelos mucronata has 5 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, ulcers, venereal diseases, wounds.

Malaria

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Acta tropica
3. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Plasmodium falciparum

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Ulcers

1. Indian journal of experimental biology

Venereal diseases

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Wounds

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Preparations

Cissampelos mucronata has 1 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include aqueous extract.

Aqueous extract

1. Malawi medical journal : the journal of Medical Association of Malawi