Stephania

Taxobox
name = "Stephania"
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Ranunculales
familia = Menispermaceae
genus = "Stephania"
genus_authority = Lour.
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = See text

"Stephania" is a genus of flowering plants in the family Menispermaceae, native to eastern and southern Asia and Australasia. They are herbaceous perennial vines growing to around 4 m tall, with a large, woody caudex. The leaves are arranged spirally on the stem, and are peltate, with the leaf petiole attached near the centre of the leaf.

One species, "S. tetrandra", is among the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is called "han fang ji" (漢防己, "Chinese "fang ji"). Other plants named "fang ji" are sometimes substituted for it. Notable among these is "guan fang ji" (廣防己, "Broad fang ji"), "Aristolochia fanchi". This plant tends to contain toxic amounts of aristolochic acid and can cause renal failure and even death; it is used in TCM only with great caution.

elected species

References

*APNI | name=Stephania Lour. | id = 14346
* [http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=3&taxon_id=131433 Flora of China: "Stephania" species list]
* [http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=110&taxon_id=131433 Flora of Nepal: "Stephania" species list]
* [http://www.forest.go.th/botany/Flora/species%20list/volume5/Menispermaceae.htm Flora of Thailand: "Stephania" species list]
* [http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?11553 Germplasm Resources Information Network: "Stephania" species list]
* [http://www.bihrmann.com/caudiciforms/subs/ste-sub-sub.asp "Stephania suberosa" photo]