Dioclea is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae, that is native to the Americas. The seeds of these legumes are buoyant drift seeds, and are dispersed by rivers.
Taxonomy A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2020 showed that when broadly circumscribed, Dioclea was not monophyletic. Many species were transferred to the genus Macropsychanthus.
Species , Plants of the World Online accepted the following species: Dioclea albiflora R.S.Cowan Dioclea apurensis Kunth Dioclea burkartii R.H.Maxwell Dioclea fimbriata Huber Dioclea guianensis Benth. Dioclea holtiana Pittier ex R.H.Maxwell Dioclea lasiophylla Mart. ex Benth. Dioclea lehmannii Diels Dioclea macrantha Huber Dioclea ovalis R.H.Maxwell Dioclea paniculata Killip ex R.H.Maxwell Dioclea sericea Kunth Dioclea vallensis R.H.Maxwell Dioclea virgata (Rich.) Amshoff
Species transferred to Macropsychanthus include: Dioclea grandiflora → Macropsychanthus grandiflorus Dioclea macrocarpa → Macropsychanthus macrocarpus Dioclea megacarpa → Macropsychanthus megacarpus Dioclea schimpffii → Macropsychanthus schimpffii
Chemistry The A-type proanthocyanidin, epigallocatechin-(2β→7,4β→8)-epicatechin, together with epicatechin, luteolin 3′β-d-glucopyranoside, chrysoeriol 7β-d-glucopyranoside and 2-methylpentan-2,4-diol, can be found in the leaves of Dioclea lasiophylla.
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