Adenia repanda Engl.

Suberect herb or ± woody climber 0.2-2 m, glabrous, growing from a tuberous rootstock. Leaves grey-glaucous, sometimes punctate beneath, entire or irregularly repand to lobed, obovate to linear, base attenuate to sub-cordate, apex subacute to obtuse or retuse, sometimes curved, 2-15 x 0.2-2(-6) cm, ± penninerved; lobes up to 5 at either side of blade, up to 1 cm; petiole 0.1-1 cm. Glands at blade-base 2, one at each side of the base of the midrib; blade-glands 0-10, submarginal, mostly corresponding with the lobes, and one apical or subapical gland in which the midrib ends. Stipules narrowly triangular, acute, 1-1.5 mm. Inflorescences sessile or peduncled for up to 2 cm, 1-5-flowered in 6, 1-2(-3)-flowered in 5 and 9; tendril (0 or) 1, up to 4 cm; sterile tendrils up to 5 cm; flowers polygamous or dioecious. Male flowers tubiform-infundibuliform, including the 2-3(-4) mm long stipe 15-24 mm; hypanthium including calyx-tube 9-14 x 2-5 mm; calyx-lobes oblong-lanceolate, obtuse, 4-7.5 mm, entire; petals lanceolate, obtuse to subacute, 5-8 mm, (1-)3-nerved, subentire, inserted near the throat of the calyx-tube, 8-12 mm above the base of the hypanthium; anthers 4-6 mm, septa 0; corona 0; disc-glands 0. Hermaphrodite flowers ± intermediate between male and female flowers; anthers smaller. Female flowers tubiform-campanulate, including the c. 1 mm long stipe 8-11 mm; hypanthium including calyx-tube 3.5-5 x 3-4 mm; calyx-lobes oblong to lanceolate, obtuse, 3-5 mm, entire; petals lanceolate, obtuse or acute, 1.5-2 mm, 1(-3)-nerved, entire, inserted 2.5-3.5 mm above the base of the hypanthium; staminodes 2-3 mm, inserted near the base of the hypanthium; septa 0; corona 0; disc-glands 0; gynophore 2-3 mm; ovary ovoid to ellipsoid, 2.5-4 mm; styles connate for 0.5-1.5 mm, style-arms o.5-0.7 mm diam. Fruit 1-2 per inflorescence, sub-globose, excluding the 2-5 mm long gynophore 1.5-2.5(-3) x 1.2-2.5 cm; pericarp coriaceous, sometimes spongy inside; seeds (2-)5-12 per capsule, suborbicular to broadly ovate, 7-8 mm. Flowering time Oct.-Febr., fruits Nov.-April.

It is a tropical plant. It grows in the Kalahari. It can grow in arid areas. It grows in sand.