Cissampelos capensis flowers

The male and female flowers of Cissampelos capensis grow on different plants of this dioecious species. Profuse blooming in dense clusters may be a festive affair in summer and autumn, although the individual flower is small and inconspicuous.

This plant was seen at Bosch Luys Kloof north of the Swartberg Mountains in April.

Some of the about 20 members of this genus are distributed as widely as Asia, North and South America, as well as across tropical and southern Africa and Madagascar (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; Van Wyk, et al, 1997; Van Wyk and Gericke, 2000; http://pza.sanbi.org).