Cissus rotundifolia

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Cissus rotundifolia
• Cissus verticillata verticillata

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Vitis sicyoides
• Cissus verticillata subsp. laciniata
• Irsiola sicyoides
• Vitis sicyoides var. canescens
• Vitis endresii
• Cissus sicyoides f. oxyodon
• Vitis albonitens
• Vitis vitiginea var. elliptica
• Cissus nitida
• Vitis sicyoides var. tamoides
• Cissus sicyoides f. parvifolia
• Cissus sicyoides f. canescens
• Cissus sicyoides f. compressicaulis
• Cissus sicyoides f. umbrosa
• Cissus sicyoides f. ovata
• Cissus sicyoides f. paraguayensis
• Cissus sicyoides f. tamoides
• Cissus sicyoides
• Cissus sicyoides f. jacquinii
• Cissus sicyoides f. lobata
• Cissus sicyoides f. marmorata
• Cissus sicyoides f. morifolia
• Cissus venatorum
• Vitis vitiginea var. sicyoides
• Vitis vitiginea var. canescens
• Vitis vitiginea var. smilacina
• Vitis vitiginea var. tamoides
• Vitis vitiginea var. compressicaulis
• Vitis vitiginea var. cordifolia
• Vitis vitiginea var. laciniata
• Vitis vitiginea var. ovata
• Vitis sicyoides var. monstrosa
• Vitis sicyoides var. obtusata
• Vitis sicyoides var. ovata
• Vitis sicyoides var. smilacina
• Spondylantha aphylla
• Vitis sicyoides f. laciniata
• Vitis vitiginea var. sagittata
• Vitis sicyoides f. monstrosa
• Vitis vitiginea f. brevifolia
• Vitis vitiginea f. bakeriana
• Vitis sicyoides f. lobata
• Vitis elliptica
• Vitis lindenii
• Cissus puncticulosa
• Cissus reticulata
• Cissus sicyoides f. apensis
• Cissus sicyoides f. aristolochiifolia
• Cissus sicyoides f. balansae
• Cissus sicyoides f. floridana
• Cissus sicyoides f. foliolata
• Cissus smilacina
• Cissus sicyoides f. ovato-oblonga
• Cissus sicyoides var. palmata
• Cissus tamoides
• Cissus tucumana
• Cissus umbrosa
• Cissus lamarckiana
• Cissus lindenii
• Cissus officinalis
• Cissus obscura
• Cissus obtusata
• Cissus oxyodon
• Cissus ovata
• Cissus plumeri
• Cissus albonitens
• Cissus andraeana
• Cissus argentea
• Cissus canescens
• Cissus compressicaulis
• Cissus cordifolia
• Cissus digitinervis
• Cissus elliptica
• Cissus endresii
• Cissus gonavensis

Regional and Traditional Names

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 Vitales and family Vitaceae, it is classified under the genus Cissus. Specifically, this medicinal species is identified as Cissus verticillata subsp. verticillata.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a remarkably wide and diverse geographical distribution across several continents and ocean basins. In the Indian Subcontinent, its presence can be documented within the borders of Bangladesh. Moving across the Pacific, it is found in the North-Central region of Hawaii as well as the South-Central Cook Islands. Its reach extends into North America, specifically occupying the subtropical landscape of Florida in the Southeastern United States. Finally, the species is also established within the central regions of Mexico.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Cissus verticillata subsp. verticillata is characterized by its preference for diverse, low-altitude environments, primarily thriving within an elevational range of 50 to 350 m AMSL. This subspecies is typically found occupying specialized niches such as dry bushland, coastal bushland, riverine woodland, and the edges of dry forests. These specific habitats suggest an adaptation to varied moisture gradients, ranging from the more humid environments near riverine systems to the more arid conditions of coastal and dry bushlands.

Elevational range max:

350 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

50 m AMSL

Habitat :

dry bushland, coastal bushland, riverine woodland, dry forest edges

Life history

The life history of Cissus verticillata subsp. verticillata is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a climbing woody vine, its development involves the establishment of a robust root system and the gradual extension of flexible, twining stems that seek structural support to ascend toward light sources. Throughout its lifespan, the plant undergoes seasonal cycles of vegetative growth and reproductive phases, often responding to environmental cues such as moisture availability and temperature fluctuations to initiate flowering and seed production. This perennial nature ensures long-term survival in its natural habitat, enabling the subspecies to maintain a continuous presence in the ecosystem through sustained growth and periodic regeneration.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Cissus verticillata subsp. verticillata is characterized by its robust development as a woody liana, reaching an impressive plant height with a mean measurement of approximately 8 m. As an obligatory climber, it utilizes its structural strength to ascend, exhibiting a growth form that can be categorized as a shrub or shrubby in habit. The plant functions as an independent organism, neither acting as a parasite nor an epiphyte, and maintains a strictly terrestrial existence rather than being aquatic or semiaquatic. Its woody nature provides the necessary rigidity for its sprawling, climbing life cycle within its natural habitat.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

liana

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

8 m

Woodiness :

woody

Reproduction

The reproduction of Cissus verticillata subsp. verticillata is characterized by the production of seeds that exhibit significant morphological variability in terms of weight. The seed mass within a population shows a broad spectrum, with a minimum recorded value of 0.007 g and a maximum value reaching up to 0.13768 g. When considering the average weight of the seeds, the mean seed mass is documented at 0.085903333 g, reflecting the diverse range of reproductive outputs possible for this subspecies.

Seed mass max:

0.13768 g

Seed mass mean:

0.085903333 g

Seed mass min:

0.007 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Cissus verticillata subsp. verticillata has 2 reported plant parts identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, stem.

Leaf

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. BMC pharmacology
3. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology

Stem

1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
2. Journal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences

Chemicals

Cissus verticillata subsp. verticillata has 17 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 2-NAPHTHOL, 2-PHENYLETHANOL, 8-Prenylkaempferol, Apigenin 4'-O-rhamnoside, Aureusidin.

2-NAPHTHOL

1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology

2-PHENYLETHANOL

1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology

8-Prenylkaempferol

1. Metabolites

Apigenin 4'-O-rhamnoside

1. Metabolites

Aureusidin

1. Metabolites

BETULINALDEHYDE

1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology

Cissoic acid

1. Journal of natural products

Flavonoids

1. Metabolites

Jaceosidin

1. Metabolites

Licoagrochalcone D

1. Metabolites

Activities

Cissus verticillata subsp. verticillata has 2 reported activities identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antitumor, Hypoglycemic.

Antitumor

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Hypoglycemic

1. BMC pharmacology

Preparations

Cissus verticillata subsp. verticillata has 7 reported preparations identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include aqueous extract, aqueous extract prepared from fresh leaves of the plant, methanol, methanolic extract obtained from the leaves, methanoloic extracts of leaf and stem.

Aqueous extract

1. General pharmacology

Aqueous extract prepared from fresh leaves of the plant

1. BMC pharmacology

Methanol

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Methanolic extract obtained from the leaves

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Methanoloic extracts of leaf and stem

1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology

Plant extracts

1. Journal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences

Water

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM