Thulin, M. (1993) Menispermaceae in Flora of Somalia 1: 25-28
Plants usually woody or herbaceous twining lianas or vines, rarely erect shrubs or small trees, dioecious (plants and flowers unisexual). Leaves alternate, without stipules; blades simple, sometimes peltate. Inflorescences usually with many flowers. Flowers small, usually with 2 3-merous whorls each of tepals, petals and stamens; sepals usually freee, imbricate or valvate; petals free or united, usually imbricate; stamens free or united; anthers usually introrse; ovaries usually 3, 6 or more, rarely 1, of a single carpel; ovules 2 per ovary, soon reduced to 1 by abortion; stigmas sessile or on very short styles. Fruits drupes or nuts, with a hard, bony endocarp; seeds often horse-shoe shaped with endosperm ruminate or not, or absent; embryos usually curved.
The family Menispermaceae includes about 70 genera and 400 species. It is widespread in tropical and subtropical countries, with relatively few species in temperate regions.