Cissus
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Cissus is a genus of approximately 350 species of woody climber in the grape family (Vitaceae). They have a cosmopolitan distribution, though the majority are to be found in the tropics.
Among the commonest species, Cissus antarctica and Cissus rhombifolia are garden plants. Cissus striata is a woody wine native from South America, mainly from Chile.
Cissus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Hypercompe eridanus and Hypercompe icasia.
[edit] Taxonomy note
In the 1980's the genus was split according to some details of the flower. The large caudiciform species were moved to the new genus Cyphostemma.
