[CÉbatha Forsk. Fl. AEgypt. 171 Hyponym. 1775.]

[Cocculus DC. Syst. Veg. 1: 515. 1818.]

Climbing vines with small dioecious panicled flowers. Sepals 6, arranged in 2 series.

Petals 6, shorter than the sepals, concave. Stamens 6; anthers 4-celled or 4-lobed. Pistils 3-6, sometimes accompanied by sterile filaments; styles erect; stigma entire. Drupe globose or ovoid, the stone flattened, curved. [Greek, referring to the climbing habit.]

A genus of about 11 species, mainly of tropical regions, two or three in the temperate zones. Type Species: Epibatcrium pendulum Forst.

1. Epibaterium Carolinum (L.) Britton. Carolina Moonseed

Fig. 1963

Menispermum carolinum L. Sp. Pl 340. 1753. Cocculus carolinus DC. Syst. Veg. 1: 524. 1818. Cebatha Carolina Britton, Mem. Torr. Club 5: 162. 1894.

A slender vine, trailing, or climbing to the height of several feet, the stem glabrous or pubescent. Leaves broadly ovate, 2'-4' long, cordate or rounded at the base, entire or lobed, acute or obtuse, sometimes densely pubescent beneath, mainly glabrous above; petioles slender, 1'-4' long; panicles axillary and terminal, loose, 1'-5' long; flowers about 1" broad; drupe red, laterally flattened, 2"-3" in diameter, the stone curved into a closed spiral, crested on the sides and back.

Along streams, Virginia to Illinois and Kansas, south to Florida and Texas. Red-berry moonseed. June-Aug.