Snailseed
Sinomenium acutum

Family: Menispermaceae

What it is like

A woody vine. It can be 20 m long. The old stem are grey. The bark has irregular stripes along it. The leaf stalks are 5-15 cm long. The blade is leathery to papery. It is oval and 6-15 cm long and tapers to the tip. There can be 5-9 lobes. These are pointed. Leaves have 5 veins spreading out from the base. The flowering stalk is 20-30 cm long. Male and female flowers and plants are separate. The fruit is fleshy with a hard stone inside. It is red to purple. It is 5-6 mm across.

There is one Sinomenium species. It is used in medicine. It contains an alkaloid sinomenine used to treat arthritis.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in the forests in river basins in S China. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Britain, China, Europe, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Japan, Korea, Nepal, SE Asia, Thailand

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Leaves, root

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Menispermum acutum Thunb.; Cocculus diversifolius Miquel var. cinereus Diels; Cocculus heterophyllus Hemsl. & Wilson; Sinomenium diversifolium (Miquel) Diels; Sinomenium acutum (Thunb.)Rehder & Wilson var. cinereum (Diels) Rehder &Wilson; Cocculus diversifolium auct. Non de Candolle:Miquel; Menispermum diversifolium (Miquel)Gagnep.var. molle auct. Non Prantl:Gagnep.;