Tall liana, perennial; dioecious; young plant sprawling, with at base first foliage leaves in one tier of 3 or 4. Probract not obvious. Tendrils slightly supra-axillary, not distinctly off-axillary, 2-branched above the middle, spiralling below the point of branching, with adhesive pads. Leaves: petiole scar raised; blade simple, margin entire. Flowers: purple-red. petals nearly free. Male inflorescences erect, raceme-like panicles, bracteate, with axillary clusters of few flowers. Male flowers rotate, receptacle shallow, sepals quincuncial, corolla lobes nearly free, contorted, revert at apex; stamens 3, inserted near the centre, anthers 5, 1-thecous, basifixed, two filaments with 2 anthers and one with 1 anther; thecae narrowly ellipsoid, opening lengthwise, with swollen creamy-white connective with a brown wart near the apex; disc not obvious. Female inflorescences small, 1-(or few)-flowered; female flowers not known. Fruit solitary, cylindrical-clavate, capsular, c. 23 by 10 cm, apex flattened, opening with 3 valves curving towards the inside. Seeds numerous, compressed, with 8 or 9 coarse marginal spines, and a membranous circular wing, c. 5 cm diameter.
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