| Class: | angiosperms |
| Order: | Ranunculales |
| Family: | Menispermaceae |
| Genus: | Menispermum |
| Scientific name: | Menispermum dauricum DC. |
| Name acc. to: | Gubanov 1996 |
| Herbar: | list records  |
| Description: | Dioecious twinning liana, dying by winter. Leaves alternate, peltate acute-5-partite or 5-lobate, broad emarginate at base and acute at apex. Flowers in short axillary panicles, about 6 mm in diam., with 4-8 sepals and 12 petals. Fruit a globose juicy, aggregate drupe about 8 mm in diam. |
| Comments: | The family includes lianas and climbers predominantly of tropical lowlands. But the genus Menispermum is widespread from Atlantic North America to eastern Asia. The specific epithet is often misspelled as "dahuricum." |
| Link to Flora of China: | http://www.efloras.org/browse.aspx?flora_id=2&name_str=Menispermum+dauricum |
| open map in a new window |  |
| Habitat: | Stony slopes, rocks, screes, river and stream banks (Grubov 2001). |
| Habit (i)general appearance of a plant | |
| Growth form: (i)Herb, shrub, tree or climber. | herb (i)Herbaceous, erect plant, up to 2m high, mostly with a leafy shoot; if perennial, shoots die to the ground each season, shoots are not woody
example: Artemisia pectinata 
perennial (i)Living for several to many years, as opposed to annual and biennial
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| Special growth forms or habits: | climber or liana (i)Plant with twinging stems
example: Clematis, Menispermum   inherited by genus Menispermum: climber or liana
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| Parasite status: (i)Is the plant a half- or full parasite? | no parasite/saprophyte (i)Plant fully autonomous, leaves with chlorophyll
example: Most plants, Ranunculus inherited by family Menispermaceae: no parasite/saprophyte
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| Water or terrestrial plant: (i)Where do the plants grow? | terrestrial (i)Plant grows on dry land
example: Orostachys spinosa inherited by family Menispermaceae: terrestrial
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| Leaf (i)expanded, usually photosynthetic organ of a plant (including phylloclades) | |
| Leaf development: (i)Structure and development of leaves. | flattened blade (i)Cross-section of lamina flat, plain
common leaf (i)Green, often divided in blade and petiole
example: Cotoneaster
with green leaves (i)Plant with green leaves inherited by family Menispermaceae: with green leaves
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| Leaf arrangement: (i)Arrangement of leaves at the stem. | alternate (i)One leaf per node; distiche: arranged in two vertical rows, equitant
example: Phragmites  
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| Simple or divided leaves: (i)Are the leaves simple or completely divided in several parts? Blade of the leaf entire or (more or less) deeply dissected. Attention: There are various appearances of the leaf margin (from entire to toothed and lobed). Here, we ignore this and ask only for dissections that separate the leaf for more than one third of its length or width, whatever is smaller. Sometimes, it is difficult to tell apart compound leaves from a shoot system with simple leaves: look for stipulae and/or axillary buds at the ground of the leaves: if only some possess these structures, the others are most likely leaflets of a compound leaf. | simple (i)Non-divided leaf, but margin may be incised nearly to the ground 
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| Shape of blade: (i)Easy for simple leaves. In compound leaves use the general shape of leaflet. Always check the ground for largest leaves of a plant. To be worked out: how to handle pinnate leaves? | cordate (i)Heart shaped
example: Cortusa 
peltate (i)Leaf with with petiole attached to the lower surface of the blade
example: Menispermum dauricum  
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| Length of leaves: (i)How long is the leaf, be carefull in compound leaves, measure the complete leaf. | from 21 mm to 50 mm
more than 50 mm
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| Width of leaves: (i)How broad is the leaf, be carefull in compound leaves, measure the complete leaf. | 1-3 cm
> 3 cm (i)6 arten prüfen
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| Leaf apex: (i)Appearance of the tip of leaf resp. leaflets in compound leaves. | rounded (i)With a round apex
example: Trifolium 
acuminate (i)Gradually tapering to a (sharp) point
example: Populus laurifolia? 
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| Leaf margin: (i)Structure of leaf margin (or that of a leaflet in case of compound leaves). Attention: Here we ask for the leaf margin, defined as all those dissections that separate the leaf for less than one third of its length or width, whatever is smaller. To be worked out: how to handle margin of pinnate leaves? | lobed (i)Curved division, be aware of deeply lobed leaves than compare with palmatisected (character: leaf division)
example: Crataegus, Dryas, Rubus humulifolius 
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| Leaf base: (i)The angle the leaf blade forms with a real or imaginary (sessile leaves) petiole. Attention: Here, we consider only the base of leaves or leaflets (in case of compound leaves). | broad (i)Angle 30° - 90°
example: Cotoneaster 
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| Petiole: (i)Leaf divided into stalk (petiole) and blade. | with (i)Leaves with petiole (stalk) 
as long as blade (i)Petiole as long as leaf blade
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| Leaf colour lower side: (i)Shades of green on the leaf, lower side. | grayish (i)Grayish in colour due to hairs or a thick cuticula
example: Atriplex cana
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| Leaf veination: (i)Arrangement of the main veins of a leaf. | palmate (i)Several nearly equal main veins united at the point where the petiole inserts
example: Malva 
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| Flower (i)reproductive portion of the plant, consisting of sepals, petals, stamens, and pistils | |
| Flower appearance and pollination: (i)General appearance of the flower. | attractive, animal-pollinated (i)attractive and coloured flowers, mostly large, attracting surely animals
example: Trollius, Rosa, Chamaerhodos
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| Flower colour: (i)Attention: assess colour of the most colourful parts of the flower, but not of the stamens; be aware of single plants with a mutation (mostly white) on flower colour. | greenish (i)petals absent or not distinctly different from colours of leaves, only stigmas (white) or anthers (yellow) may differ in color
example: Chenopodium, Triglochin
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| Perianth arrangement: (i)Attention: in some plants, flowers may be dimorphic in different ways (dioecious or gynodioecious). If flowers vary, record the characters of the most showy flowers. | double, different (i)Two types of perianth leaves, differently coloured (sepals: outer periant leaves, usually greenish, and petals: inner perianth leaves, usually coloured)
example: Parnassia  
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| Diameter of flower: (i)Diameter of flower or flower head. | from 5 mm to 10 mm (i)
example: Stellaria
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| Flower symmetry: (i)Symmetry of the perianth leaves. Attention: to assess this character, look on sepals, petals and stamens, but neglect carpels and ovary. | radiary, regular (actinomorphic) (i)More than two axis of symmetry
example: Saxifraga: 5; Iris: 3 
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| Flower form: (i)common forms of flowers ? Veronica | simple (flat) - Do not confuse with inflorescences as in some Asteraceae (i)Petals spread out, flower appearing flat
example: Mollugo, Trientalis, Pulsatilla, Saxifraga 
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| Sepal number: (i)Number of sepal leaves (outer perianth leaves, calyx leaves, mostly greenish). Attention, this character applies only for flowers separated in sepals and petals, thus excluding most monocots. Be aware of the bracts (involucral leaves) of Asteraceae flowerheads, do not qualify these as sepals! Be also aware in Rosaceae is often an epicalyx developed, in this case count all parts. | 4 (i)
example: Sinapis
>5 (i)
example: Malva, often with outer and inner calyx leaves
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| Sepal fusion: (i)To which degree are the sepal leaves connected? Attention, this character applies only for flowers separated in sepals and petals, thus excluding most monocots. Be aware of the bracts (involucral leaves) of Asteraceae flowerheads, do not qualify these as sepals! | free (i)All leaves separate from each other
example: Geranium
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| Petal / Tepal number: (i)Number of petal leaves (inner perianth leaves, usually coloured). | 6 (i)
example: Allium, Lilium, Dactylorhiza
>6 (i)
example: Halerpestes, Trientalis
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| Petal / Tepal fusion: (i)To which degree are the petal leaves connected? Petals sympetalous. | free (i)all petal leaves separate from each other
example: Anthriscus
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| Spur: (i)A hollow, slender, sac-like appendage of the perianth leaves, storing nectar. | no spur (i)Flower without appendage
example: Peganum
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| Stamen number: (i)Attention: We ask for the reproductive organs of the flower dispersing pollen. Count only fully fertile stamens, not staminodia (e.g. Parnassia). | > 10 (i)
example: Nymphaea, Callianthemum, Rosa
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| Stamen fusion: (i)To which degree are the stamens fused? Attention: Whereas the pollen sacs itself are often free., their stalks (filaments) may be fused. Here, we count them as fused if they are together over at least one thirth of their length. | free (i)Stamens with separate bases
example: Malus
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| Carpel number: (i)Number of carpels (carpel: forming a simple pistil or part of a compound pistil, modified leaf). | 2
3
4
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| Carpel fusion: (i)To which degree are the carpels (modified leaf forming simple pistil or part of a compound pistil) fused. | free (i)Carpels entirely free
example: Geum, Aconitum
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| Ovary position: (i)For entirely or partly fused carpels, describe their position in relation to the insertion point of perianth leaves (best done by doing a longitudinal section of a flower). | superior (hypogynous) (i)Base of carpels attached above insertion point of perianth leaves, carpels free or fused
example: Delphinium, Anemone   inherited by order Ranunculales: superior (hypogynous)
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| Sex: (i)Distribution of male and female organs among flowers, only most commonly cases. | unisexual (i)
example: Rhodiola
dioecious (i)Male and female flowers at different individuals
example: Antennaria
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| Inflorescence (i)flowering part of a plant, describes the arrangement of the flowers on the flowering axis | |
| Inflorescence: (i)Structure of the inflorescence. | Flowers in inflorescence (i)No solitary flowers
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| Appearance: (i)Outer look of the inflorescence. | axillary (i)Usually several inflorescences in axillary shoots or single flowers in leaf axils, main shoot remains mostly leafy
example: Tragopogon, Aconogonon
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| Inflorescence type: (i)Types of inflorescence. Attention: We here ask for the botanical nomenclature of inflorescences, which is sufficiently complicated. Tick only, if you are certain, or tick all inflorescence types that appear similar of these of the plant in question. | panicle (i)Branched, with flowers maturing from the bottom upwards
example: Phragmites 
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| Fruit (i)the seed bearing organ, with or without adnate parts; a ripened ovary and any other structures which are attached and ripen with it. Aggregate fruits are handled like simple fruits for determination. | |
| Consistency: (i)Fleshy fruits or dry fruits, see dispersal adaptations for further classification. | fleshy (i)Usually non dehiscent; with a fleshy (swollen because of a high water content) outer shell, flesh edible at least for animals
example: Prunus, Amygdalus, Malus
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| Type of fruit: (i)Common fruit types (including pseudocarp). | Indehiscent fruits
Solitary fruits (i)   
drupe (stone fruit) (i)Fleshy, indehiscent fruit with a single, hard stone inside
example: Plum, cherry 
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| Size of fruit: (i)Size of the fruit including appendage. | from 5 mm to 10 mm (i)
example: Silene: small capsule opening with teeth
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| Seed number: (i)Estimate the number of seeds per fruit, if recognizable seeds are in the fruit (in rare cases a fruit may contain one seeded nuts: rose hip, carex). | 2-6 (i)2-6 single seeds, well recognizable
example: Crataegus: few-seeded berry
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| Hairs | |
| Has hairs?: | no hairs, glabrous
has hairs
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| Hairs: (i)Appearance, structure, coverage of hairs on plant. | on leaf (i)Hairs on upper side, lower side or on margin of leaf
leaf lower side
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| Root / shoot below ground (i)plant part below ground (in most cases), including below ground shoots, without leaves | |
| Root type: (i)Organisation of the roots. | allorhizous (i)Plant with a conspicuous tap root, one larger tap root with side roots
example: Dicotyledonae inherited by order Ranunculales: allorhizous
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| Distribution (i)region where the plant is likely to be found | |
| Distribution (Veg. Zones): (i)acc. to Grubov 1952 | Khentei (i)In distribution data often named as '2' 
Khangai (i)In distribution data often named as '3' 
Mongol-Daurian (i)In distribution data often named as '4' 
Great Khingan (i)In distribution data often named as '5' 
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| Distribution Khangay: (i)acc. Flora Khangaya 1989 | I
IV
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