Cissus: My Exploration of an Intriguing Genus
Hi, I’m Ferb Vu, and I’m fascinated by the plant genus Cissus. This diverse group of plants, belonging to the grape family (Vitaceae), has captured my attention with its variety of forms and adaptations. From the lush rainforests to arid deserts, Cissus species have found ways to thrive in a multitude of environments. Join me as I delve into the world of these fascinating plants.
What is Cissus?
Cissus is a genus encompassing roughly 281 species of primarily woody vines. These plants are predominantly found in tropical and subtropical regions across the globe. They are characterized by their tendril-climbing habit, often adorning trees and other structures with their lush foliage. The leaves of Cissus exhibit remarkable diversity, ranging from simple and heart-shaped to deeply lobed or even compound. Many species boast vibrant fall colors, adding a splash of brilliance to their surroundings.
Diversity within the Genus
One of the aspects that I find most captivating about Cissus is the sheer variety within the genus. Some species, like Cissus quadrangularis, have adapted to arid environments, developing succulent stems to store water. This particular species, with its distinctive square-shaped stems, is even used in traditional medicine for its purported healing properties.
On the other hand, species like Cissus antarctica (Kangaroo Vine) and Cissus rhombifolia (Grape Ivy) thrive in more temperate climates and are popular houseplants due to their attractive foliage and ease of care. I myself have a Cissus rhombifolia climbing up a trellis in my living room, and its lush green leaves bring a touch of the outdoors inside.
A Closer Look at Cissus Species
- Cissus acreensis Lombardi
- Cissus adamii Detoit
- Cissus adeyana Masinde & L.E.Newton
- Cissus adnata Roxb.
- Cissus alata Jacq.
- Cissus albida Cambess.
- Cissus albiporcata Masinde & L.E.Newton
- Cissus amapaensis Lombardi
- Cissus ambongensis Desc.
- Cissus amoena Gilg & M.Brandt
- Cissus amplexicaulis Trias-Blasi & J.Parn.
- Cissus angustata Ridl.
- Cissus anisophylla Lombardi
- Cissus annamica Gagnep.
- Cissus antandroy Desc.
- Cissus anulata Desc.
- Cissus apendiculata Lombardi
- Cissus aphylla Chiov.
- Cissus aphyllantha Gilg
- Cissus araguainensis Lombardi
- Cissus aralioides (Welw. ex Baker) Planch.
- Cissus arguta Hook.f.
- Cissus aristata Blume
- Cissus aristolochiifolia Planch.
- Cissus aristolochioides Planch.
- Cissus arnottiana B.V.Shetty & Par.Singh
- Cissus assamica (M.A.Lawson) Craib
- Cissus astrotricha Gagnep.
- Cissus aubertiana (Gage) P.Singh & B.V.Shetty
- Cissus auricoma Desc.
- Cissus austroyunnanensis Y.H.Li & Y.Zhang
- Cissus bachmaensis Gagnep.
- Cissus bahiensis Lombardi
- Cissus barbeyana De Wild. & T.Durand
- Cissus barteri (Baker) Planch.
- Cissus bathyrhakodes Werderm.
- Cissus bauerlenii Planch.
- Cissus bequaertii Detoit
- Cissus bicolor Domin
- Cissus biformifolia Standl.
- Cissus blanchetiana Planch.
- Cissus boivinii Planch.
- Cissus bosseri Desc.
- Cissus bracteosa Lombardi
- Cissus brevipes C.V.Morton & Standl.
- Cissus cactiformis Gilg
- Cissus cacuminis Standl.
- Cissus caesia Afzel.
- Cissus calcicola Craib
- Cissus camiriensis Lombardi
- Cissus campestris (Baker) Planch.
- Cissus carrissoi Exell & Mendonça
- Cissus cerasiformis (Teijsm. & Binn.) Planch.
- Cissus coccinea (Baker) Mart. ex Planch.
- Cissus cochinchinensis Spreng.
- Cissus colombiensis Lombardi
- Cissus comosa Desc.
- Cissus compressiflora Lombardi
- Cissus conchigera Ridl.
- Cissus convolvulacea Planch.
- Cissus cornifolia (Baker) Planch.
- Cissus corylifolia (Baker) Planch.
- Cissus coursii Desc.
- Cissus craibii Gagnep.
- Cissus crusei Wild & R.B.Drumm.
- Cissus cucumerifolia Planch.
- Cissus cucurbitina Standl.
- Cissus cuspidata Planch.
- Cissus cussonioides Schinz
- Cissus darik Miq.
- Cissus dasyantha Gilg & M.Brandt
- Cissus dealbata Bedd.
- Cissus decaryi Wahlert & Phillipson
- Cissus decidua Lombardi
- Cissus descoingsii Lombardi
- Cissus dewevrei De Wild. & T.Durand
- Cissus dichotoma Blume
- Cissus diffusiflora (Baker) Planch.
- Cissus dinklagei Gilg & M.Brandt
- Cissus discolor Blume
- Cissus diversilobata C.A.Sm.
- Cissus doeringii Gilg & M.Brandt
- Cissus duarteana Cambess.
- Cissus duboisii Dewit
- Cissus egestosa Werderm.
- Cissus ellenbeckii Gilg & M.Brandt
- Cissus elongata Roxb.
- Cissus erecta S.H.Cho & Y.D.Kim
- Cissus erosa Rich.
- Cissus evrardii Gagnep.
- Cissus fanshawei Wild & R.B.Drumm.
- Cissus farinosa Planch.
- Cissus faucicola Wild & R.B.Drumm.
- Cissus flavifolia Lombardi
- Cissus floribunda (Baker) Planch.
- Cissus forsteniana (Miq.) Planch.
- Cissus fragilis E.Mey. ex Harv.
- Cissus fuliginea Kunth
- Cissus furcifera Chiov.
- Cissus fusifolia Lombardi
- Cissus gambiana Desc.
- Cissus gardneri Thwaites
- Cissus glandulosa (Forssk. ex J.F.Gmel.) J.F.Gmel.
- Cissus glaucophylla Hook.f.
- Cissus glaucotricha Lombardi
- Cissus glossopetala (Baker) Suess.
- Cissus glyptocarpa Thwaites
- Cissus gongylodes (Baker) Burch. ex Baker
- Cissus gossweileri Exell & Mendonça
- Cissus gossypiifolia Standl.
- Cissus goudotii Planch.
- Cissus grisea (Baker) Planch.
- Cissus guerkeana (Büttner) T.Durand & Schinz
- Cissus haematantha Miq.
- Cissus hamaderohensis Radcl.-Sm.
- Cissus hastata Miq.
- Cissus heteroma Turcz.
- Cissus heterophylla Poir.
- Cissus heterotoma Turcz.
- Cissus hexangularis Thorel ex Planch.
- Cissus heyneana Steud.
- Cissus hookeri Ridl.
- Cissus humbertiana Desc.
- Cissus humbertii Robyns & Lawalrée
- Cissus integrifolia Planch.
- Cissus intermedia A.Rich.
- Cissus inundata (Baker) Planch.
- Cissus kerrii Craib
- Cissus koordersii (Backer) Amshoff
- Cissus kouandeensis A.Chev.
- Cissus kouilouensis Desc.
- Cissus lamprophylla Gilg & M.Brandt
- Cissus lanea Desc.
- Cissus latifolia Lam.
- Cissus lebrunii Dewit
- Cissus leemansii Dewit
- Cissus lemurica Desc.
- Cissus lenticellata (Baker) Suess.
- Cissus leonardii Dewit
- Cissus leucophlea (Scott Elliot) Suess.
- Cissus lombardiana Kottaim.
- Cissus lonchiphylla Thwaites
- Cissus longicymosa Lombardi
- Cissus louisii Detoit
- Cissus luzoniensis (Merr.) C.L.Li
- Cissus macrobotrys Turcz.
- Cissus macrophylla Jungh.
- Cissus madecassa Desc.
- Cissus marcanii Craib
- Cissus mauritiana Desc.
- Cissus mexicana Moc. & Sessé ex DC.
- Cissus microcarpa Vahl
- Cissus microdonta (Baker) Planch.
- Cissus miegei Tchoumé
- Cissus migeodii Verdc.
- Cissus milnei Verdc.
- Cissus mirabilis (Urb. & Ekman) Lombardi
- Cissus montana (Lauterb.) Jackes & Trias-Blasi
- Cissus morifolia Planch.
- Cissus muelleri Planch.
- Cissus narinensis Lombardi
- Cissus neei Croat
- Cissus nicaraguensis Lombardi
- Cissus nigropilosa Dewit
- Cissus nobilis Kuhlm.
- Cissus nodosa Blume
- Cissus notabilis Doweld
- Cissus nymphaeifolia (Welw. ex Baker) Planch.
- Cissus obliqua Ruiz & Pav.
- Cissus oblongifolia Merr.
- Cissus obovata Vahl
- Cissus oliveri (Engl.) Gilg ex Engl.
- Cissus oreophila Gilg & M.Brandt
- Cissus osaensis Lombardi
- Cissus oxyodonta (Baker) Desc.
- Cissus palmata Poir.
- Cissus palmatifida (Baker) Planch.
- Cissus paniculata (Balf.f.) Planch.
- Cissus paraensis Lombardi
- Cissus parviflora Schult. & Schult.f.
- Cissus patellicalyx Lombardi
- Cissus paucinervia Lombardi
- Cissus paullinifolia Vell.
- Cissus peltata Turcz.
- Cissus penninervis (F.Muell.) Planch.
- Cissus pentaclada Jackes
- Cissus pentagona Roxb.
- Cissus perrieri Desc.
- Cissus peruviana Lombardi
- Cissus petiolata Hook.f.
- Cissus phymatocarpa Masinde & L.E.Newton
- Cissus picardae Urb.
- Cissus pileata Desc.
- Cissus pingtungensis S.S.Ying
- Cissus pinnatifolia Lombardi
- Cissus planchoniana Gilg
- Cissus planchonii Gagnep.
- Cissus polita Desc.
- Cissus polyantha Gilg & M.Brandt
- Cissus populnea Guill. & Perr.
- Cissus producta Afzel.
- Cissus prunifera Desc.
- Cissus × pseudocaesia Gilg & M.Brandt
- Cissus pseudofuliginea Lombardi
- Cissus pseudoguerkeana Verdc.
- Cissus pseudopolyantha Mildbr.
- Cissus pseudoverticillata Lombardi
- Cissus pteroclada Hayata
- Cissus pubinervis Blume
- Cissus pulcherrima Vell.
- Cissus pynaertii De Wild.
- Cissus quadrangularis L.
- Cissus quadricornuta (Miq.) Hochr.
- Cissus quarrei Dewit
- Cissus quinquangularis Chiov.
- Cissus reniformis Domin
- Cissus repanda (Wight & Arn.) Vahl
- Cissus repens Lam.
- Cissus rhamnoidea Planch.
- Cissus rheifolia Planch.
- Cissus rhodotricha (Baker) Desc.
- Cissus robinsonii (Ridl.) Craib
- Cissus rondoensis Verdc.
- Cissus rostrata (Miq.) Korth. ex Planch.
- Cissus rotundifolia Lam.
- Cissus rubiginosa (Welw. ex Baker) Planch.
- Cissus rubropilosa Lombardi
- Cissus rufescens Guill. & Perr.
- Cissus ruginosicarpa Desc.
- Cissus ruspolii Gilg
- Cissus sagittifer Desc.
- Cissus salehi Lodé
- Cissus schmitzii Dewit
- Cissus sciaphila Gilg
- Cissus senegalensis Lavie
- Cissus serroniana (Glaz.) Lombardi
- Cissus serrulatifolia L.O.Williams
- Cissus silvestris Tchoumé
- Cissus smithiana (Baker) Planch.
- Cissus spinosa Cambess.
- Cissus stipulata Vell.
- Cissus subaphylla (Balf.f.) Planch.
- Cissus suberecta Bedd.
- Cissus subhastata Gagnep.
- Cissus subramanyamii B.V.Shetty & Par.Singh
- Cissus subrhomboidea (Baker) Planch.
- Cissus sue Gilg & M.Brandt
- Cissus sulcicaulis (Baker) Planch.
- Cissus sulfurosa Desc.
- Cissus sumatrana Latiff
- Cissus surinamensis Desc.
- Cissus sylvicola Masinde & L.E.Newton
- Cissus terengganuensis Latiff
- Cissus teysmannii Miq.
- Cissus tiliacea Kunth
- Cissus tiliiformis Desc.
- Cissus tinctoria Mart.
- Cissus touraensis A.Chev.
- Cissus trifoliata (L.) L.
- Cissus trigona Willd.
- Cissus triloba (Lour.) Merr.
- Cissus triternata Miq.
- Cissus trothae Gilg & M.Brandt
- Cissus ursina Lombardi
- Cissus uvifer Afzel.
- Cissus venezuelensis Steyerm.
- Cissus verticillata (L.) Nicolson & C.E.Jarvis
- Cissus vinosa Jackes
- Cissus viridescens Ridl.
- Cissus vitiginea L.
- Cissus voanonala (Baker) Suess.
- Cissus wallacei Verdc.
- Cissus wellmanii Gilg & M.Brandt
- Cissus welwitschii (Baker) Planch.
- Cissus wenshanensis C.L.Li
- Cissus woodrowii (T.Cooke) Santapau
- Cissus wrightiana Planch.
- Cissus xavierensis Manickam, Murugan, Sundaresan, Jothi & Chellad.
- Cissus xerophila Lombardi
- Cissus youngii Exell & Mendonça
- Cissus zombitsy Desc.
Why I Find Cissus So Interesting
My interest in Cissus stems from a deep appreciation for the adaptability and resilience of plants. This genus showcases the remarkable ability of plants to evolve and thrive in a wide range of environments. From the delicate tendrils that allow them to climb to the varied leaf shapes and sizes, Cissus species demonstrate the beauty and ingenuity of nature.
Furthermore, the ethnobotanical uses of some Cissus species, like Cissus quadrangularis, highlight the interconnectedness between humans and plants. It’s fascinating how people across different cultures have utilized these plants for medicinal and other purposes.
Exploring the World of Cissus
I encourage everyone to take some time to appreciate the beauty and diversity of Cissus. Whether you’re an experienced botanist or simply a lover of plants, there’s something to captivate you within this intriguing genus. Perhaps you’ll be inspired to add a Cissus to your own plant collection or simply take a moment to admire these fascinating plants in their natural habitat.
I’m excited to continue my own exploration of Cissus. With so many species yet to discover and so much to learn, I know that this genus will continue to fascinate me for years to come.