Stems twining, up to 10 m high; branches terete, shortly greyish tomentose, solid. Leaves narrowly ovate to ovate-lanceolate, or ovate to elliptic, 7-16 by 2-12 cm; base rounded, or slightly cordate, apex acuminate, often with a linear acumen, or shortly cuspidate; lower surface more or less densely pilose with short, soft hairs, upper surface less densely pilose with more stiff hairs; midrib and 9-10 nerves on either side prominent beneath; minor nervation more or less distinct; petiole 2-8 cm long, shortly tomentose. Inflorescences approximate at the end of the branches in an elongate, narrow panicle; peduncles 1-8 cm, tomentose. Pedicels 4-5 mm, angular, thickened in fruit. Bracts lanceolate or narrowly lanceolate, apex caudate. Two outer sepals broadly ovate to elliptic, shortly to long and narrowly acuminate, 8-10 mm long; sepal 3 ovate, shortly acuminate, ca 7½-9 mm long; two inner sepals ovate to elliptic, obtuse, but shortly cuspidate, ca 6-7 mm long, all pilose outside, glabrous inside. Corolla deeply 5-lobed, rose-purple; tube ca 8 mm long, glabrous; lobes linear, ca 18-20 mm long, appressed-sericeous to strigillose outside, winged towards the apex with glabrous wings. Filaments thickened and verrucose at the base. Ovary glabrous, 2-celled. Fruit ellpsoid or subglobose, ca 10-12 mm long, purple-red.
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