Woody climbers, glabrous. Leaves opposite or subopposite, simple, stipulate. Flowers solitary, axillary, bisexual. Perianth in 3 series; tepals grading inwards from bract-like to petaloid. Stamens in a spiralled whorl, petaloid, innermost reduced to staminodes; ventral surface of stamen with bilocular anther opening by longitudinal slits. Carpels superior, free on torus; ovules alternate in 2 series; styles with canal exuding mucilage, converging apically, at anthesis embedded in a massive mucilage cap; stigmas transversely bilobed. Fruit an asymmetric berry; seeds several.
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