The World Flora Online

Woody climbers, rarely erect shrubs (Decaisnea). Monoecious, rarely dioecious. Stems climbing or twining (erect in Decaisnea); wood with broad medullary rays. Winter buds large; outer scales 2 to numerous; scales subtending leaves persistent, scaly. Stipules usually absent (present and very small in Sinofranchetia). Leaves alternate, palmate or 3-foliolate, rarely pinnate (Decaisnea). Petiole and petiolules swollen at both ends, articulate. Flowers functionally unisexual by reduction or abortion, actinomorphic. Sepals 6 (usually 3 in Akebia), petaloid, in 2 whorls, imbricate or outer 3 valvate. Petals 6, nectariferous, much smaller than sepals or absent. Male flowers: stamens free or ± connate into a tube; anthers 2-celled, extrorsely dehiscent by longitudinal slit; connective apical appendage hornlike or apiculate, sometimes unappendaged. Pistillodes 3--6(--9), small, filiform. Female flowers: staminodes 6. Carpels 3(--9) or numerous (Sargentodoxa), superior, free; ovules numerous, orthotropous or anatropous, in 2 to several longitudinal rows on laminar placenta, rarely 1, pendulous, hemitropous to subanatropous (Sargentodoxa). Stigma conspicuous, sessile or subsessile. Fruit fleshy follicles or baccate, indehiscent or dehiscent along abaxial suture. Seeds numerous, rarely solitary; seed coat crustaceous; endosperm copious; embryo small, straight.

Source: [
• 1
]. 

Vines [small trees or shrubs], woody, evergreen or deciduous. Stems without spines. Leaves alternate; stipules absent [except in Lardizabala ]; petioles present. Leaf blade palmately compound [pinnately compound or 1-3-ternate]. Inflorescences axillary, racemes, occasionally solitary flowers, flowers pedicellate. Flowers unisexual, staminate and pistillate on same plants in same or different inflorescences [staminate and pistillate on different plants or flowers bisexual, staminate, and pistillate], showy, 3-merous; sepaloid bracteoles absent; sepals 3-6, distinct, usually petaloid, not spurred; petals absent [6; nectary present]. Staminate flowers: stamens 6(-8), distinct [proximally connate]; anthers with 2 pollen sacs, extrorse, dehiscing longitudinally; pistillodes sometimes present. Pistillate flowers: staminodes sometimes present; pistils 3-15 in 1-5 whorls of 3 each, 1-carpellate, 1-locular; placentation submarginal or laminar; ovules 100-several hundred [1-20]; stigma 1, sessile to nearly sessile. Fruits aggregates of berries or of fleshy follicles (sometimes only 1 pistil maturing). Seeds [1-]100-several hundred, never stalked; aril absent; endosperm abundant; embryo small, straight.

Source: [
• 2
]. 

Fls unisexual, regular, hypogynous, trimerous; sep 3 or 6; pet none, or represented by nectaries; stamens 3 or 6; ovaries 3, distinct; ovules numerous; mostly woody climbers with alternate, exstipulate, palmately compound lvs. 8/30.

Source: [
• 5
]. 

SELECTED REFERENCES

Ernst, W. R. 1964. The genera of Berberidaceae, Lardizabalaceae, and Menispermaceae in the southeastern United States. J. Arnold Arbor. 45: 1-35. Matthews, V. A. 1989. Lardizabalaceae. In: S. M. Walters et al., eds. 1984+. The European Garden Flora. 3+ vols. Cambridge etc. Vol. 3, pp. 396-398. Prantl, K. 1888. Lardizabalaceae. In: H. G. A. Engler and K. Prantl, eds. 1887-1915. Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien.... 254 fasc. Leipzig. Fasc. 19[III,2], pp. 67-70. Spongberg, S. A. and I. H. Burch. 1979. Lardizabalaceae hardy in temperate North America. J. Arnold Arbor. 60: 302-315.

Source: [
• 2
].