Draft:Abuta convexa

= Abuta Convexa =

Taxonomy
Abuta Convexa belongs to the Ranunculales order, under the Menispermaceae family, Menispermoideae subfamily, and Anomospermeae tribe1. It is a species of the Abuta genus, which is a part of the flowering plant family Menispermaceae2. This genus consists of about 32 species, native to tropical Central and South America2.

Description
Abuta species are typically dioecious climbers, or rarely erect trees or shrubs2. They have simple leaves and their flowers are in composed panicles2. The male flowers have six sepals in two whorls, six stamens that can be either connate or free, and anthers with a longitudinal or transverse dehiscence2. The female flowers have sepals and petals similar to the male flowers, six staminodes, and three carpels2. The drupes are ovoid, the endocarp is woody, the condyle is septiform, the endosperm is ruminate, and the embryo is curved2. These species are found in the tropical rain forest2.

Uses
Abuta is one of the components of the arrow poison curare used by some indigenous tribes of South America2. Particularly, the roots of Abuta rufescens are used as medicinal in diseases of the urogenital tract2. However, it is considered dangerous2. The dichloromethane extracts of Abuta grandifolia demonstrated high larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti2.

Synonymy
The basionym of Abuta Convexa is Cissampelos convexa Vell1. Other heterotypic synonyms include Cissampelos abutua Vell, Cissampelos tomentosa Vell, Cocculus tomentosus Mart, Cocculus macrophyllus A.St.-Hil. & Tul, Cocculus martii A.St.-Hil. & Tul, Abuta heterophylla Miers, and Abuta macrophylla (A.St.-Hil. & Tul.) Miers1.