Marcgravia

Marcgravia is a genus of plants in the family Marcgraviaceae native to the region spanning from Mexico to tropical South America. It is commonly eaten by the dwarf little fruit bat. The genus is named in memory of the German naturalist Georg Marcgraf. The plant is visited by Thomas's nectar bat.

== Description == thumb|right|Marcgravia umbellata inflorescence thumb|right|Marcgravia coriacea branch thumb|right|Sterile Marcgravia umbellata branch climbing up a tree thumb|right|Seeds of Marcgravia pittieri ===Vegetative characteristics=== Marcgravia are vines or climbing shrubs. Marcgravia is classified as a sub-parasitical shrub. The branches are dimorphic. The sterile branches creep or climb. The pendulous fertile branches are terete and do not bear roots. ===Generative characteristics=== The terminal, umbelliform, partly sterile inflorescence is composed of a ring of fertile flowers, as well as a number of nectaries derived from bracts, which are fused with sterile flowers. The fertile flowers have four sepals and four petals. ===Cytology=== The chromosome count is 2n = 36, 38, 62–64.