8555.000 Gerrardanthus Hook. f.

Scandent herbs, stems becoming woody when old, usually arising from perennial tuberous rootstock. Leaves simple, petiolate. Tendrils apically 2-fid. Flowers small, brownish, dioecious, ± zygomorphic. Male flowers in paniculoid axillary fascicles. Receptacle-tube broad, shallow, lobes small. Petals 5, free, unequal. Female flowers solitary or few-fasciculate; ovary trigonous; ovules several, pendulous; perianth similar to that of male flowers. Fruit an obconic-cylindric, trigonous capsule, dry, brownish, dehiscent by an apical slit. Seeds elongated, narrow, with an apical membraneous wing.

Worldwide: 5 species in tropical and southern Africa.

Malawi: 2 taxa.