Menispermaceae is the botanical name for a family of flowering plants. Such a family has been universally recognized by taxonomists. Tubocurare, a neuromuscular blocker and active ingredient in curare, is derived from plants of this family.

The APG II system, of 2003 (unchanged from the APG system, of 1998), also recognizes this family and places it in the order Ranunculales, in the clade eudicots.

It is a medium sized family of several dozen genera and a few hundred species, mostly of climbing plants. The great majority of the genera are tropical, but with a few (notably Menispermum and Cocculus) reaching temperate climates in eastern North America and eastern Asia.

Selected genera

Abuta Albertisia Anamirta Anisocycla Anomospermum Antizoma Arcangelisia Aspidocarya Beirnaertia Borismene Burasaia Calycocarpum Carronia Caryomene Chasmanthera Chlaenandra Chondrodendron Cionomene Cissampelos Cocculus Coscinium Curarea Cyclea Dialytheca	Dioscoreophyllum Diploclisia Disciphania Echinostephia Elephantomene Eleutharrhena Fibraurea Haematocarpus Hyperbaena Hypserpa Jateorhiza Kolobopetalum Legnephora Leptoterantha Limacia Limaciopsis Macrococculus Menispermum Odontocarya Orthogynium Orthomene Pachygone Parabaena Penianthus Pericampylus	Platytinospora Pleogyne Pycnarrhena Rhaptonema Rhigiocarya Sarcolophium Sarcopetalum Sciadotenia Sinomenium Sphenocentrum Spirospermum Stephania Strychnopsis Synandropus Synclisia Syntriandrium Syrrheonema Telitoxicum Tiliacora Tinomiscium Tinospora Triclisia Ungulipetalum

References

External links

* Menispermaceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants: descriptions, illustrations, identification, information retrieval. Version: 3rd May 2006. http://delta-intkey.com.

* Menispermaceae in the Flora of North America

* NCBI Taxonomy Browser

* links at CSDL