A family of tropical climbing vines with hooked tendrils, found in Asia, Africa, and Madagascar.
Modern scientific Latin naming, from Greek 'ankistron' (fishhook) plus 'klados' (branch) plus the taxonomic suffix '-aceae' used for plant families.
Scientists named this plant family for its hook-shaped tendrils that snag onto branches like fishhooks. The genus 'Ancistrocladus' is a pharmaceutical treasure-trove: one species produces compounds researchers are testing against cancer.
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