Revision of the Australian Vitaceae, 1. Ampelocissus Planchon

A new species of Ampelocissus, A. frutescens is described and a new combination A, gardineri based on Vitis gardineri Bailey is made.A description of the genus and of each of the three species is given, together with a key to the species.The family comprises 12 genera which are found mainly in the tropics and subtropics of the world.Five of these genera occur in Australia, with Clematicissus endemic to Western Australia.The family is easily recognised because it consists mostly of vines with leaf-opposed tendrils, however generic limits are not easily defined because of the tremendous variation that occurs in leaf characters and the constancy of reproductive structures as well as the difficulty in obtaining fertile material.A description of the family as well as a key to the genera in Australia has been given by Jackes (1983).