5. Ampelopsis Rich. in Mich., Fl. Bor. Am. 1:159. 1803. Planch. in DC., Monogr. Phaner. 5:453. 1887; Sosnovskii in Schischkin, Fl. URSS. 14:704. 1949; Bailey, Man. Cult. Pl. rev. ed. 550. 1968; Vassilczensko in Rech. f., Fl. Ir. 74:3.1970.
S. NAZIMUDDIN AND M. QAISER
Erect or scandent shrub, tendril leaf opposed, ± thickened at node, not forming adhesive disc at tips, sometimes absent. Leaves simple, variously shaped, entire or variously lobed, to bipinnate. Inflorescence leaf opposiod cymes, branching dichotomously, pedicel thickened in fruit. Flowers polygamous monoecious, sometimes outer bisexual, 5-merous. Calyx inconspicous. Petals 5, free, stellately spreading. Stamens 5, inserted in hypogymous disc. Disc cupular, (4-) 5-lobed, margins wavy style long, filiform; stigma not divided, inconspicuous, ovary bilocular, biovulate. Fruit 2-4 seeded, brightly coloured, encircled by persistant annular sub-entire and slightly 4-notched disc.
A small genus of about 5 species, distributed in temperate and sub tropical regions of Asia and America. Represented here by 2-3 specific and subspecific taxa.
