Liana, up to 15-40 m high, c. 2 cm ø. Branches c. 5 mm ø, shallowly longitudinally sulcate, shortly hairy. Leaves often coriaceous, broad-ovate, ovate, lanceolate, rarely narrow-lanceolate, 19-37 by 4.5-23.5 cm (sometimes up to 100 by 70 cm); apex acuminate, rarely apiculate; base slightly sinuate or shallowly cordate; ± truncate, rarely cordate, sinus 0-1 cm deep; shortly hairy on both surfaces, especially on midrib, nerves and veins; nerves elevated and prominent beneath, slightly elevated above; basal nerves 1 pair, ascending upward to ½-¾ of the blade, each nerve with a weaker, short branch at the base; lateral nerves 3-5 pairs; veins crossbar-like or reticulate, slightly elevated and prominent beneath, main veins distinct above; petiole 2.5-6 cm, often densely shortly hairy. Inflorescences cauligerous, 1 or 2 borne on a brachyblast of the (old) stem, rachides up to 11 (-29) cm long, with spaced internodes; bracts very small, densely hairy. Pedicels and ovary 15-30 mm, densely hairy. Perianth (bud) straight or slightly curved, greenish white with purple venation, pale green outside with 3 lobes orange-yellow and purple inside, or light yellowish purple with purple veins and becoming dark purple when open; longitudinal veins distinct, loose reticulations faint; shortly hairy outside especially on the veins, glandular hairs scattered inside; utricle obovoid or ellipsoid, 10-15 by 5-10 mm, no glandular bodies inside visible; tube 30-35 mm long, enlarged toward the apical part (c. 15 mm ø); limb 3-lobed, lobes triangular to narrow-triangular, 35-50 mm long, 12-14 mm wide at the base, gradually narrowed towards the apex, apical part (25-30 mm) laciniate and often tail-like when dry. Stamens 6; anthers oblong, 1.7-2 mm long. Gynostemium 5.5 mm long, lower part (c. 1 mm) stipe-like; style 6-lobed, lobes linear, 2.5-3 mm long, no annular ring at the base. Capsules green or light yellowish green, oblong, up to 20 (-30) by c. 4 cm, indehiscent (?), 6-ridged, smooth, sparsely shortly hairy, glabrescent. Seeds triangular or deltoid, 9 by 8.5-9 mm, slightly longitudinally concave above, convex beneath, smooth on both surfaces, not winged.
In primary forest, rarely in secondary forest, from the lowland up to 800 (-1200) m. Fl. May, June, July, Oct., Dec; fr. June, July, Dec.