Citation: Arn., Madras J. Lit. Sci. 12:50 (1840).

Derivation: From the Indian name for M. maderaspatana.

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: None

Description:
Trailing or climbing annual herbs or perennial rootstocks producing annual stems; stems scabrid; tendrils simple; leaves simple, broadly ovate to lanceolate in outline, cordate, dentate to palmately 3-5-lobed.

Male flowers in axillary fascicles or racemes, or (not in S.Aust.) solitary; hypanthium campanulate; calyx 5-lobed, lobes ovate to lanceolate; corolla 5-lobed, lobes ovate, yellow; stamens 3, inserted about the middle of the hypanthium; anthers dorsifixed, 2 2-locular, 1 1-locular, locules straight or slightly curved; connective appendages minute or absent; disk gland-like; female flowers in axillary fascicles or solitary, rarely co-axillary with males; perianth similar to males; staminodes 3, minute, or absent; ovary globose to ellipsoidal; ovules few to many, horizontal; style short; disk annular or (not in S.Aust.) absent; stigma 3-lobed.

Fruit fleshy, indehiscent, globose or ellipsoidal; seeds few to many, ovate, turgid or compressed, margin thickened or narrow, minutely pitted or smooth, pale or black.

Distribution:  About 10 species (as treated here) of tropical Africa, Asia, Malesia, Australia; 6 species in Australia, 2 in S.Aust.

Biology: No text

Taxonomic notes: Further taxonomic research is required to clarify generic delimitation. As circumscribed here, the genus contains probably 2 undescribed endemic Australian genera, 1 of these including M. micrantha.

Key to Species:

1. Male flowers 5-8 mm long; fruit globose, on peduncles less than 1 cm long	M. maderaspatana 1.
1. Male flowers 2-4 mm long; fruit ellipsoid, on peduncles more than 1 cm long	M. micrantha 2.

Author: Not yet available