Gynostemma
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Gynostemma | |
|---|---|
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| Gynostemma pentaphyllum growing in potting soil | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Cucurbitales |
| Family: | Cucurbitaceae |
| Tribe: | Gomphogyneae |
| Genus: | Gynostemma Blume[1] |
| Species | |
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See text | |
Gynostemma is a genus of perennial climbing vines in the cucumber, gourd, and melon family, comprising at least 19 species, all native to the tropical East or Far East, inclusive of the Himalayas: China (with 9 endemic); the islands of Japan; Malaysia; and New Guinea.[2] The term Gynostemma is derived from Ancient Greek γυνή meaning "woman" or "female",[3] and στέμμα meaning "wreath" or "garland".[3] In (post-)classical Latin the form stemma is attested as Greek loanword.[4][5] In Ancient Greek and Latin, stemma is of neuter gender.[3][4] German-Dutch botanist Carl Ludwig Blume described Gynostemma from two species he named:[6] G. pedata (later changed, to pedatum)[7] and G. simplicifolia (also later changed, to simplicifolium).[8] Neither species was clearly designated by him as the type; however, the former species, G. pedatum is now considered to be a synonym of G. pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino.[9] The genus was published in 1825, in Carl Ludwig von Blume's Bijdragen tot de flora van Nederlandsch Indië ("Contributions to the flora of the Dutch East Indies").[1][6]
