Twiner up to 6 m, sometimes scrambling on (tall) tree top up to 30 m. Old stem terete, 2.2-4 cm ø; branches terete, c. 4 mm ø, short-hairy, glabrescent. Leaves chartaceous to coriaceous, lanceolate, elliptic, or ovate, (7-) 10-25 (-43) by (2-) 3-11 (-21) cm; apex acuminate, short-acuminate, rarely cuspidate; base subcordate, deeply cordate (especially plants from rather lower altitude), or slightly concave, rarely rounded or subtruncate (especially when young, or in plants from rather higher altitude); sinus 0-1 (-5) cm; subglabrous or glabrous above, shortly hairy especially on the midrib, nerves and veins; nerves elevated and prominent beneath, less so above; basal nerves 1 pair, ascending upwards to c. ½-⅔ of the blade, branched at base; lateral nerves 3-5 pairs; veins reticulate or crossbar-like, prominent beneath, distinct or sometimes faint above; petiole (1-) 2-3.5 (-7) cm, densely hairy. Inflorescences in axils of leaves, or cauligerous, paniculiform, rachis 4-19 (or more) cm long, with spacious internodes, densely hairy; bracts minute, densely hairy. Pedicel and ovary c. 20 mm long, densely hairy. Perianth straight or with slightly curved tube, white or pale green with purple venation, dull wine purple with yellow or orange yellow, longitudinal veins distinct, reticulations rather faint, densely hairy outside, with scattered hairs inside; with a contraction between perianth and ovary, no stipe; utricle obovoid, c. 10 by 7 mm; tube gradually enlarged toward apical part, c. 12 by 10 mm; limb an obovoid body with a long filiform tail composed of the ends of the lobes; limb 3-lobed (very rarely with an additional filiform fourth lobe); lobes suborbicular, c. 10 mm ø, with an apical tail-like appendage (easily broken off) c. 20 mm. Stamens 6; anthers oblong, 1.2-1.7 mm long. Gynostemium c. 3.5 mm long; style 6-lobed; lobes triangular, 1.5-2 mm long, each lobe with the basal part slightly extended outward or downward. Capsules golden yellow or brilliant orange when ripe, oblong or ellipsoid, 5.5—9 by 3.5-4 cm, strongly 6-ridged, smooth (fine-granular under a handlens); mostly found indehiscent, but obviously finally dehiscing. Seeds triangular or deltoid, 9-10 mm long and wide, smooth on both surfaces, not winged.
In primary forest, beach forest, sometimes occurring in limestone areas on rocky peak; at low and medium altitudes, sometimes found up to 1650 m. Fl. Jan.-July; fr. Jan.-June, Sept., Oct.
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Primary forest, beach forest, sometimes occurring in limestone areas on rocky peak; usually at low and medium elevations though sometimes ascending to 1,650 metres.
Can be grown by seedlings. Seeds needs soaking.
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