Cyclea polypetala Dunn, J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 35: 485 (1903)

Species name meaning 'many petals', although the petals are not really striking in this species.

Synonyms

Description
Vines, woody, to 10 m or longer. Branchlets longitudinally striate, hispid-puberulent. Petiole 3-7 cm, hispidulous, base geniculate; leaf blade sometimes narrowly peltate, broadly cordate, 6-18 x 5.5-15 cm, papery, abaxially hispid or puberulent, adaxially glabrous and glossy, margin entire, apex acuminate, palmately 5-7-veined, together with fine reticulation prominent abaxially. Inflorescences paniculate, cauliflorous, broad and large, up to 15 cm, hispid or puberulent; pedicel 0.7-1 mm. Male flowers: calyx suburceolate, apex subtruncate or with crenellated lobes, 1-2 mm; petals 4, free, oblong, +/- fleshy, 0.5-1.5 mm; synandrium less than 2 mm. Female flowers: sepals 2, deeply cucullate, ca. 0.5 mm; petals 2, rotund, 0.1-0.3 mm in diam., adnate to base of sepals, margin involute. Drupes subglobose, slightly flattened, glabrous; endocarp ca. 4 mm, abaxially bearing 3 rows of tubercles. [from Flora of China]

Ecology
Forests.

Uses

Distribution
Southern China, including Hainan up to northern Thailand.

Local names
China: Tie teng.