281 Species in Genus Cissus

October 18 – Cissus
"Cissus, the climbing vine, represents October 18."
Cissus symbolizes growth and connection. You form meaningful relationships and flourish in new environments. Like its climbing nature, you reach for the stars.

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

1. Cissus acreensis Lombardi
2. Cissus adamii Detoit
3. Cissus adeyana Masinde & L.E.Newton
4. Cissus adnata Roxb.
5. Cissus alata Jacq.
6. Cissus albida Cambess.
7. Cissus albiporcata Masinde & L.E.Newton
8. Cissus amapaensis Lombardi
9. Cissus ambongensis Desc.
10. Cissus amoena Gilg & M.Brandt
11. Cissus amplexicaulis Trias-Blasi & J.Parn.
12. Cissus angustata Ridl.
13. Cissus anisophylla Lombardi
14. Cissus annamica Gagnep.
15. Cissus antandroy Desc.
16. Cissus anulata Desc.
17. Cissus apendiculata Lombardi
18. Cissus aphylla Chiov.
19. Cissus aphyllantha Gilg
20. Cissus araguainensis Lombardi
21. Cissus aralioides (Welw. ex Baker) Planch.
22. Cissus arguta Hook.f.
23. Cissus aristata Blume
24. Cissus aristolochiifolia Planch.
25. Cissus aristolochioides Planch.
26. Cissus arnottiana B.V.Shetty & Par.Singh
27. Cissus assamica (M.A.Lawson) Craib
28. Cissus astrotricha Gagnep.
29. Cissus aubertiana (Gage) P.Singh & B.V.Shetty
30. Cissus auricoma Desc.
31. Cissus austroyunnanensis Y.H.Li & Y.Zhang
32. Cissus bachmaensis Gagnep.
33. Cissus bahiensis Lombardi
34. Cissus barbeyana De Wild. & T.Durand
35. Cissus barteri (Baker) Planch.
36. Cissus bathyrhakodes Werderm.
37. Cissus bauerlenii Planch.
38. Cissus bequaertii Detoit
39. Cissus bicolor Domin
40. Cissus biformifolia Standl.
41. Cissus blanchetiana Planch.
42. Cissus boivinii Planch.
43. Cissus bosseri Desc.
44. Cissus bracteosa Lombardi
45. Cissus brevipes C.V.Morton & Standl.
46. Cissus cactiformis Gilg
47. Cissus cacuminis Standl.
48. Cissus caesia Afzel.
49. Cissus calcicola Craib
50. Cissus camiriensis Lombardi
51. Cissus campestris (Baker) Planch.
52. Cissus carrissoi Exell & Mendonça
53. Cissus cerasiformis (Teijsm. & Binn.) Planch.
54. Cissus coccinea (Baker) Mart. ex Planch.
55. Cissus cochinchinensis Spreng.
56. Cissus colombiensis Lombardi
57. Cissus comosa Desc.
58. Cissus compressiflora Lombardi
59. Cissus conchigera Ridl.
60. Cissus convolvulacea Planch.
61. Cissus cornifolia (Baker) Planch.
62. Cissus corylifolia (Baker) Planch.
63. Cissus coursii Desc.
64. Cissus craibii Gagnep.
65. Cissus crusei Wild & R.B.Drumm.
66. Cissus cucumerifolia Planch.
67. Cissus cucurbitina Standl.
68. Cissus cuspidata Planch.
69. Cissus cussonioides Schinz
70. Cissus darik Miq.
71. Cissus dasyantha Gilg & M.Brandt
72. Cissus dealbata Bedd.
73. Cissus decaryi Wahlert & Phillipson
74. Cissus decidua Lombardi
75. Cissus descoingsii Lombardi
76. Cissus dewevrei De Wild. & T.Durand
77. Cissus dichotoma Blume
78. Cissus diffusiflora (Baker) Planch.
79. Cissus dinklagei Gilg & M.Brandt
80. Cissus discolor Blume Plant FAQs: Cissus Discolor
81. Cissus diversilobata C.A.Sm.
82. Cissus doeringii Gilg & M.Brandt
83. Cissus duarteana Cambess.
84. Cissus duboisii Dewit
85. Cissus egestosa Werderm.
86. Cissus ellenbeckii Gilg & M.Brandt
87. Cissus elongata Roxb.
88. Cissus erecta S.H.Cho & Y.D.Kim
89. Cissus erosa Rich.
90. Cissus evrardii Gagnep.
91. Cissus fanshawei Wild & R.B.Drumm.
92. Cissus farinosa Planch.
93. Cissus faucicola Wild & R.B.Drumm.
94. Cissus flavifolia Lombardi
95. Cissus floribunda (Baker) Planch.
96. Cissus forsteniana (Miq.) Planch.
97. Cissus fragilis E.Mey. ex Harv.
98. Cissus fuliginea Kunth
99. Cissus furcifera Chiov.
100. Cissus fusifolia Lombardi
101. Cissus gambiana Desc.
102. Cissus gardneri Thwaites
103. Cissus glandulosa (Forssk. ex J.F.Gmel.) J.F.Gmel.
104. Cissus glaucophylla Hook.f.
105. Cissus glaucotricha Lombardi
106. Cissus glossopetala (Baker) Suess.
107. Cissus glyptocarpa Thwaites
108. Cissus gongylodes (Baker) Burch. ex Baker
109. Cissus gossweileri Exell & Mendonça
110. Cissus gossypiifolia Standl.
111. Cissus goudotii Planch.
112. Cissus grisea (Baker) Planch.
113. Cissus guerkeana (Büttner) T.Durand & Schinz
114. Cissus haematantha Miq.
115. Cissus hamaderohensis Radcl.-Sm.
116. Cissus hastata Miq.
117. Cissus heteroma Turcz.
118. Cissus heterophylla Poir.
119. Cissus heterotoma Turcz.
120. Cissus hexangularis Thorel ex Planch.
121. Cissus heyneana Steud.
122. Cissus hookeri Ridl.
123. Cissus humbertiana Desc.
124. Cissus humbertii Robyns & Lawalrée
125. Cissus integrifolia Planch.
126. Cissus intermedia A.Rich.
127. Cissus inundata (Baker) Planch.
128. Cissus kerrii Craib
129. Cissus koordersii (Backer) Amshoff
130. Cissus kouandeensis A.Chev.
131. Cissus kouilouensis Desc.
132. Cissus lamprophylla Gilg & M.Brandt
133. Cissus lanea Desc.
134. Cissus latifolia Lam.
135. Cissus lebrunii Dewit
136. Cissus leemansii Dewit
137. Cissus lemurica Desc.
138. Cissus lenticellata (Baker) Suess.
139. Cissus leonardii Dewit
140. Cissus leucophlea (Scott Elliot) Suess.
141. Cissus lombardiana Kottaim.
142. Cissus lonchiphylla Thwaites
143. Cissus longicymosa Lombardi
144. Cissus louisii Detoit
145. Cissus luzoniensis (Merr.) C.L.Li
146. Cissus macrobotrys Turcz.
147. Cissus macrophylla Jungh.
148. Cissus madecassa Desc.
149. Cissus marcanii Craib
150. Cissus mauritiana Desc.
151. Cissus mexicana Moc. & Sessé ex DC.
152. Cissus microcarpa Vahl
153. Cissus microdonta (Baker) Planch.
154. Cissus miegei Tchoumé
155. Cissus migeodii Verdc.
156. Cissus milnei Verdc.
157. Cissus mirabilis (Urb. & Ekman) Lombardi
158. Cissus montana (Lauterb.) Jackes & Trias-Blasi
159. Cissus morifolia Planch.
160. Cissus muelleri Planch.
161. Cissus narinensis Lombardi
162. Cissus neei Croat
163. Cissus nicaraguensis Lombardi
164. Cissus nigropilosa Dewit
165. Cissus nobilis Kuhlm.
166. Cissus nodosa Blume
167. Cissus notabilis Doweld
168. Cissus nymphaeifolia (Welw. ex Baker) Planch.
169. Cissus obliqua Ruiz & Pav.
170. Cissus oblongifolia Merr.
171. Cissus obovata Vahl
172. Cissus oliveri (Engl.) Gilg ex Engl.
173. Cissus oreophila Gilg & M.Brandt
174. Cissus osaensis Lombardi
175. Cissus oxyodonta (Baker) Desc.
176. Cissus palmata Poir.
177. Cissus palmatifida (Baker) Planch.
178. Cissus paniculata (Balf.f.) Planch.
179. Cissus paraensis Lombardi
180. Cissus parviflora Schult. & Schult.f.
181. Cissus patellicalyx Lombardi
182. Cissus paucinervia Lombardi
183. Cissus paullinifolia Vell.
184. Cissus peltata Turcz.
185. Cissus penninervis (F.Muell.) Planch.
186. Cissus pentaclada Jackes
187. Cissus pentagona Roxb.
188. Cissus perrieri Desc.
189. Cissus peruviana Lombardi
190. Cissus petiolata Hook.f.
191. Cissus phymatocarpa Masinde & L.E.Newton
192. Cissus picardae Urb.
193. Cissus pileata Desc.
194. Cissus pingtungensis S.S.Ying
195. Cissus pinnatifolia Lombardi
196. Cissus planchoniana Gilg
197. Cissus planchonii Gagnep.
198. Cissus polita Desc.
199. Cissus polyantha Gilg & M.Brandt
200. Cissus populnea Guill. & Perr.
201. Cissus producta Afzel.
202. Cissus prunifera Desc.
203. Cissus × pseudocaesia Gilg & M.Brandt
204. Cissus pseudofuliginea Lombardi
205. Cissus pseudoguerkeana Verdc.
206. Cissus pseudopolyantha Mildbr.
207. Cissus pseudoverticillata Lombardi
208. Cissus pteroclada Hayata
209. Cissus pubinervis Blume
210. Cissus pulcherrima Vell.
211. Cissus pynaertii De Wild.
212. Cissus quadrangularis L. Plant FAQs: Cissus Quadrangularis
213. Cissus quadricornuta (Miq.) Hochr.
214. Cissus quarrei Dewit
215. Cissus quinquangularis Chiov.
216. Cissus reniformis Domin
217. Cissus repanda (Wight & Arn.) Vahl
218. Cissus repens Lam.
219. Cissus rhamnoidea Planch.
220. Cissus rheifolia Planch.
221. Cissus rhodotricha (Baker) Desc.
222. Cissus robinsonii (Ridl.) Craib
223. Cissus rondoensis Verdc.
224. Cissus rostrata (Miq.) Korth. ex Planch.
225. Cissus rotundifolia Lam.
226. Cissus rubiginosa (Welw. ex Baker) Planch.
227. Cissus rubropilosa Lombardi
228. Cissus rufescens Guill. & Perr.
229. Cissus ruginosicarpa Desc.
230. Cissus ruspolii Gilg
231. Cissus sagittifer Desc.
232. Cissus salehi Lodé
233. Cissus schmitzii Dewit
234. Cissus sciaphila Gilg
235. Cissus senegalensis Lavie
236. Cissus serroniana (Glaz.) Lombardi
237. Cissus serrulatifolia L.O.Williams
238. Cissus silvestris Tchoumé
239. Cissus smithiana (Baker) Planch.
240. Cissus spinosa Cambess.
241. Cissus stipulata Vell.
242. Cissus subaphylla (Balf.f.) Planch.
243. Cissus suberecta Bedd.
244. Cissus subhastata Gagnep.
245. Cissus subramanyamii B.V.Shetty & Par.Singh
246. Cissus subrhomboidea (Baker) Planch.
247. Cissus sue Gilg & M.Brandt
248. Cissus sulcicaulis (Baker) Planch.
249. Cissus sulfurosa Desc.
250. Cissus sumatrana Latiff
251. Cissus surinamensis Desc.
252. Cissus sylvicola Masinde & L.E.Newton
253. Cissus terengganuensis Latiff
254. Cissus teysmannii Miq.
255. Cissus tiliacea Kunth
256. Cissus tiliiformis Desc.
257. Cissus tinctoria Mart.
258. Cissus touraensis A.Chev.
259. Cissus trifoliata (L.) L. Plant FAQs: Cissus Trifoliata – Three-leaf Cissus
260. Cissus trigona Willd.
261. Cissus triloba (Lour.) Merr.
262. Cissus triternata Miq.
263. Cissus trothae Gilg & M.Brandt
264. Cissus ursina Lombardi
265. Cissus uvifer Afzel.
266. Cissus venezuelensis Steyerm.
267. Cissus verticillata (L.) Nicolson & C.E.Jarvis
268. Cissus vinosa Jackes
269. Cissus viridescens Ridl.
270. Cissus vitiginea L.
271. Cissus voanonala (Baker) Suess.
272. Cissus wallacei Verdc.
273. Cissus wellmanii Gilg & M.Brandt
274. Cissus welwitschii (Baker) Planch.
275. Cissus wenshanensis C.L.Li
276. Cissus woodrowii (T.Cooke) Santapau
277. Cissus wrightiana Planch.
278. Cissus xavierensis Manickam, Murugan, Sundaresan, Jothi & Chellad.
279. Cissus xerophila Lombardi
280. Cissus youngii Exell & Mendonça
281. 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.