The botanical genus Cayratia comprises approximately 45 species, some of which have utility value to people. It is found in tropical and subtropical areas of Asia, Africa, Australia, and islands of the Pacific ocean.

Within the Vitaceae, Cayratia is most closely related to Tetrastigma

Tetrastigma

Tetrastigma is a genus of plants in the grape family, Vitaceae. The plants are vines that climb with tendrils and have palmately compound leaves. The species are found in subtropical and tropical regions of Asia, Malesia, and Australia, where they grow in primary rainforest, gallery forest and...

and Cyphostemma

Cyphostemma

Cyphostemma is a flowering plant genus belonging to the family Vitaceae. These species are caudiciform and used to belong to the genus Cissus...

. However, Cayratia may not be monophyletic (for example, Cayratia japonica may be more closely related to Cyphostemma than it is to Cayratia pedata).

Selected species

  Cayratia acris

Cayratia acris

Cayratia acris is a species of plant native to Australia and Papua New Guinea....

(F. Muell.) Domin

  Cayratia debilis

Cayratia debilis

Cayratia debilis is a species of plant native to equatorial Africa. It has herbaceous or slightly woody vines, with 5-foliate leaves and greenish-white or yellow flowers. Its stem, leaves and sap are used in traditional medicine in various African countries, and the leaves are eaten as a vegetable...

(Baker) Suess.

  Cayratia delicatula (Willems) Desc.

  Cayratia geniculata

Cayratia geniculata

Cayratia geniculata is a species of plant native to Asia. It has woody vines and 3-foliolate leaves....

(Blume) Gagnep.

  Cayratia gracilis (Guill. & Perr.) Suess.

  Cayratia ibuensis (Hook.f.) Suess.

  Cayratia japonica

Cayratia japonica

Cayratia japonica is a species of herbaceous plant native to Australia and Asia. It is used as a traditional Chinese medicine to relieve swelling and heat, and to enhance diuresis and detoxification....

(Thunb.) Gagnep.

  Cayratia trifolia

Cayratia trifolia

Cayratia trifolia is a species of liana plant native to Australia and Asia. It has black-colored berries, and its leaves contain several flavonoids, such as cyanidin and delphinidin. Hydrocyanic acid is present in the stem, leaves and roots....

(L.) Domin