Akebia Decne.
Glabrous, deciduous or almost evergreen, monoecious lianes. Buds with many imbricate scales. Lvs long-petiolate, digitately 3- or 5-foliolate. Leaflets petiolulate; apices ± emarginate. Fls in pendent axillary racemes, the ♀ larger and toward the base, the ♂ smaller and at apex. ♂ fls: sepals 3; petals 0; stamens 6, free; anthers subsessile; ovary rudimentary. ♀ fls: sepals 3; staminodes 6; carpels 3-(12); ovules in longitudinal rows; style 0. Frs berry-like but dehiscent, usually 3 to each fl., large, oblong, with numerous black seeds embedded in translucent gelatinous pulp.
2 spp., E. Asia. Naturalised sp. 1.
The related genus Stauntonia DC. is more common in cultivation in N.Z. than is Akebia. The sp. grown, S. hexaphylla Decne., is an evergreen climber with 6 coriaceous leaflets, whitish, acuminate sepals, and connate stamens. Unlike Akebia spp., S. hexaphylla seems to be self-fertile and thus, the pinkish purple berry-like frs are much more freely produced and spontaneous plants are occasionally seen. As in other members of the family the frs are edible.
