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Herbs dioecious. Roots with swollen, tuberous part 3--5 × 1--2 cm. Stems climbing, 1--2 m, slightly woody proximally; branches angled or narrowly winged. Cladodes usually in fascicles of 3, subfalcate, 0.5--8 cm × 1--2 mm, flat or slightly 3-angled. Leaf spur sometimes spinescent; spine 2.5--3.5 mm on main stems, minute or indistinct on branches. Inflorescences developing after cladodes, axillary. Flowers of both sexes usually paired, subequal; pedicel 2--6 mm, articulate at middle. Male flowers: perianth greenish, campanulate, 2.5--3 mm; filaments free. Berry green, 6--7 mm in diam., 1-or 2-seeded. Fl. May--Jun, fr. Sep. 2 n = 20*.
A herb. The roots are swollen. The form tubers which are 3-5 cm long by 1-2 cm wide. The stems are climbing and 1-2 m long. They are slightly woody. The branches are angled and have narrow wings. The leaf spur sometimes has spines. The spines are 2.5-3.5 mm long on the main stems. The true leaves are reduced to small scales. In the axils of these scale leaves there are 2-3 leaf-like small branches. These are 3 angled. The flowers are in the axils of the leaves. The fruit is a berry. It is green and 6-7 mm across. There are 1 or 2 seeds.
