Family · Other eudicots
Menispermaceae
Moonseeds
Moonseed family: mainly tropical woody climbers with crescent-shaped seeds; several yield alkaloids such as curare and medicinal compounds.
- Accepted species
- 554accepted names · Kew WCVP
- Genera
- 80accepted genera · Kew WCVP
- Origin
- ≈67 MaCretaceous · crown age, Jin & Qian 2022 megatree
- Centre of diversity
- Southern Americamost native species · WGSRPD
Open Menispermaceae in the treePan, zoom and dig into its genera in the interactive view.›
Plants you might know
- Menispermum canadense
- Tinospora
- Chondrodendron
- Cocculus
Largest genera
Stephania70 spp.
Odontocarya38 spp.
Abuta34 spp.
Tinospora34 spp.
Cyclea31 spp.
Disciphania25 spp.
Hyperbaena23 spp.
Tiliacora23 spp.
Albertisia22 spp.
Cissampelos22 spp.
Sciadotenia19 spp.
Triclisia19 spp.
Pycnarrhena15 spp.
Pachygone12 spp.
Hypserpa10 spp.
Anomospermum9 spp.
Curarea9 spp.
Telitoxicum8 spp.
Rhaptonema7 spp.
Parabaena6 spp.
Caryomene5 spp.
Hyalosepalum5 spp.
Legnephora5 spp.
Burasaia4 spp.
Carronia4 spp.
Cocculus4 spp.
Rhigiocarya4 spp.
Anisocycla3 spp.
Antizoma3 spp.
Arcangelisia3 spp.
Chondrodendron3 spp.
Dioscoreophyllum3 spp.
Fibraurea3 spp.
Kolobopetalum3 spp.
Limacia3 spp.
Nephroia3 spp.
Penianthus3 spp.
Syrrheonema3 spp.
Cebatha2 spp.
Chasmanthera2 spp.
Coscinium2 spp.
Diploclisia2 spp.
Elissarrhena2 spp.
Haematocarpus2 spp.
Jateorhiza2 spp.
Menispermum2 spp.
Paratinospora2 spp.
Pericampylus2 spp.
Perichasma2 spp.
Synclisia2 spp.
Anamirta1 spp.
Aspidocarya1 spp.
Beirnaertia1 spp.
Borismene1 spp.
Botryodiscia1 spp.
Calycocarpum1 spp.
Chlaenandra1 spp.
Dialytheca1 spp.
Echinostephia1 spp.
Elephantomene1 spp.
The 20 smaller genera are in the interactive tree.
Where it grows
- Southern America185
- Asia-Tropical163
- Africa135
- Asia-Temperate88
- Australasia24
- Northern America21
- Pacific14
Native species richness by botanical continent (WGSRPD level 1), from Kew WCVP.
Related families
Menispermaceae sits in the order Ranunculales.