Gynostemma is a genus of perennial climbing vines in the cucumber, gourd, and melon family, comprising at least 19 species, all native to the tropical East or Far East, inclusive of the Himalayas: China (with 9 endemic); the islands of Japan; Malaysia; and New Guinea. The term Gynostemma is derived from Ancient Greek γυνή meaning woman or female, and στέμμα meaning wreath or garland. In (post-)classical Latin the form stemma is attested as Greek loanword. In Ancient Greek and Latin, stemma is of neuter gender. German-Dutch botanist Carl Ludwig Blume described Gynostemma from two species he named: G. pedata (later changed, to pedatum) and G. simplicifolia (also later changed, to simplicifolium). Neither species was clearly designated by him as the type; however, the former species, G. pedatum is now considered to be a synonym of G. pentaphyllum . The genus was published in 1825, in Carl Ludwig von Blume's Bijdragen tot de flora van Nederlandsch Indië (Contributions to the flora of the Dutch East Indies).