Tetrastigma
Tetrastigma is a genus of plants in the grape family, Vitaceae. The plants are lianas that climb with tendrils and have palmately compound leaves. The species are found in subtropical and tropical regions of Asia, Malaysia, and Australia, where they grow in primary rainforest, gallery forest and monsoon forest and moister woodland. Species of this genus are notable as being the sole hosts of parasitic plants in the family Rafflesiaceae, one of which, Rafflesia arnoldii, produces the largest single flower in the world.
Within the Vitaceae, Tetrastigma is most closely related to Cayratia and Cyphostemma.A fossil seed fragment from the early Miocene of Tetrastigma sp., has been found in the Czech part of the Zittau Basin.
Tetrastigma macrofossils have been recovered from the late Zanclean stage of Pliocene sites in Pocapaglia, Italy.Selected species
- Tetrastigma bracteolatum Planch.
- Tetrastigma harmandii Planch. – Ayo, ariuat, kalit, iyo
- Tetrastigma leucostaphylum Alston ex Mabb.
- Tetrastigma nitens Planch.
- Tetrastigma planicaule Gagnep.
- Tetrastigma pubinerve Merr. & Chun
- Tetrastigma serrulatum Planch.
- Tetrastigma voinierianum Pierre ex Gagnep.
Etymology
Tetrastigma is derived from Greek and means 'four stigmas', in reference to its four-lobed stigma.
