Cocculus orbiculatus (L.) DC.

Climber/ Vine

Cocculus species are scandent or erect herbs, shrubs or small trees, monoecious. Leaves simple, alternate, non-peltate, entire or lobed. Flowers unisexual. Inflorescences cymose or thyrsoid, terminal or axillary. Male flowers, sepals 6-9, in 2-3 series, imbricate, the outer sepals smaller, petals 6, normally bifid or emarginated apex, auricled below, stamens 6-9, free, anthers subglobose, cells bursting transversely. Female flowers sepals and petals similar as in male flowers, staminodes 6 or absent, carpels 3-6, style subulate, cylindrical, reflexed. Fruits drupes curved, obovoid, laterally slightly compressed, style scar near the base, bony endocarp, transversely rigid above, perforate on both sides, Seed curved, endocarp faintly tubercled, endospermic, liguliform cotyledons.

Cocculus species are dioecious i.e., male (staminate) flowers on one plant, and female (pistillate) flowers on another plant. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects. Flowering/Fruiting: May-August.

Seeds may be dispersed by zoochory i.e., dispersal by birds or animals, anthropochory i.e., dispersal by humans.

Scandent climbing shrubs. Stems herbaceous when young and woody when mature, slender, grooved, blackish, pubescent, about 1-1.5 cm thick, branches pubescent to subglabrous. Leaves simple, alternate, ovate, cordate to lanceolate-elliptic, 3-9 x 1-5 cm across, base abruptly cuneate, truncate to cordate, margin entire, apex acute to emarginate sometimes, subcoriaceous, bright green, glabrous above, paler pubescent beneath, basal 3-5 strong veins, 2-3 lateral veins, impressed above and beneath, prominent on the midrib beneath, petiole sparsely pubescent, slender, about 0.5-3 cm long. Inflorescence axillary, extra axillary or terminal, few flowered, thyrsoid racemes or cymose, pubescent, about 4-7 cm long. Male flowers white, glabrous, about 2-4 cm long, sepals 9 in 3 series, outer series minute, middle series sepals, about 1 mm long, inner series sepals, rotund to obovate, about 1-1.25 mm long, petals 6, obovate, oblong, about 1-1.8 mm long, stamens 6, about 0.1 mm long. Female flowers, sepals and petals similar as in male flowers, staminodes 6, very small or minute, linear, glabrous, about 0.3 mm long, carpels 6, glabrous, about 1 mm long, styles curved, slender, glabrous. Fruits drupes rotund, glabrous, slightly compressed, dark green to dark blue when ripe, with 4 lateral rows of tubercles, about 4-5 mm across, endocarp rugose, stony with curved aperture, ridged finely on dorsal surface. style scar subbasal.

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Forested areas, rocky areas

Along streams, shady places of forest edges, near villages, altitude of up to 1000 m and cultivated.

Leaves and roots are eaten during famine. Stem decoction used for treating asthma and paralysis. Roots used for treating rheumatic arthritis. Plant shows good antibacterial and anti-amoebic activity.