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Male flower: 25–40 × 8–13 mm. (incl. the 4–8 mm. long stipe), broadly urceolate; hpanthium 4–7 × 8–13 mm.; calyx-tube 12–20 mm. long; calyx-lobes 4–8 mm. long, ovate-triangular, obtuse, lacerate-denticulate; petals 6–10 × 2·5–4 mm., oblong-spathulate, obtuse at the apex, shortly unguiculate, 5-nerved, lacerate-dentate in the upper 1/2, inserted at the same level as the corona or up to 2 mm. above this; corona consisting of slender sometimes branched hairs 0·5–1·5 mm. long; stamen-filaments 4–7·5 mm. long, connate at the base, inserted at the base of the hypanthium; anthers 6–8(10) × 1(1·5) mm., obtuse; disk-glands 3–3·5 mm. long; vestigial ovary c. 1 mm. long; gynophore 0–1 mm. long.
Female flower: 15–18 × 5–8 mm. (incl. the 2–3(4) mm. long stipe), tubular-campanulate; hypanthium 2–2·5 × 5–8mm., broadly cup-shaped; calyx-tube 6–8 mm. long; calyx-lobes 5–7 mm. long, ovate-triangular, subacute, entire; petals c. 6 × 2·5 mm., oblong-spathulate, obtuse, denticulate-lacerate in the upper 1/2, inserted at the same level as the corona, 5-nerved; corona similar to that of the male flower; staminodes c. 4 mm. long, connate at the base; disk-glands 0·75–1 mm. long; pistil 9–10 mm. long; gynophore c. 2 mm. long; ovary c. 4 7× (2·5)3 mm., ellipsoid, 3-ribbed; styles 2–2·5 mm. long, connate at the base; stigmas sessile, woolly-papillate.
Leaf-lamina (2)4–10(25) × 4–20(25) cm., deeply 5-parted or 5-foliolate, suborbicular in outline, membranous, green above, greyish-green sometimes with purplish spots beneath, with 5 main nerves from the base, the nerves prominent, sometimes reddish; leaflets 2–16(25) × 0·2–2(9) cm., oblong to linear, subobtuse to acute and with acumen up to 1·5 cm. long, margin entire or deeply 3–8(16)-lobed, narrowing gradually at the base, pinnately nerved with the fine reticulation somewhat distinct, petiolules up to 1·5 cm. long; petiole 0·5–5 cm. long.
Cymes with peduncles 1–8 cm. long, up to 10-flowered in male, 1–3-flowered in female, the flowers cream-coloured; bracts and bracteoles 1–3 mm. long, lanceolate, acute; pedicels 3–12 mm. long in male, 2–8 mm. in female; tendril (0)1, 2–6 cm. long.
Glands of the lamina-base 2(4), 1–1·5 mm. in diameter, on 2 separate or contiguous wart-like appendages; lamina-glands (0)2–4(16), c. 1 mm. in diameter, submarginal or scattered.
Capsule (2·5)3–6 × 2–3·5 cm., ellipsoid, with smooth coriaceous pericarp, 40–60-seeded.
Hermaphrodite flowers similar to the male but with a well-developed pistil.
Branches often greyish-glaucous, striate, with internodes 2–10 cm. long.
Herbaceous climber up to 2·5 m., arising from a tuberous rootstock.
Seeds 5–6·5 × 5–6 mm., obovate, pitted.
Sterile tendrils up to 12 cm. long.
Stipules c. 1 mm. long, linear.
