Monoecious vines; stems puberulent, glabrescent. Juvenile leaves simple or 2-to 3-lobate, the mature leaves 3-foliolate, the middle leaflets elliptic to broadly ovate, the lateral leaflets similar but asymmetrical at the base, the apex acute to caudate, the margin remotely denticulate, subcoriaceous, the upper surface scabrous puberulent, especially on the nerves, minutely white pustulate, the lower surface tomentellous, few sessile, small glands near the base; petiole 4-6 cm long, puberulent; tendrils simple or 2-branched, puberulent or glabrescent. Staminate flowers axillary, solitary or few in short racemes, lateral and terminal branches often with reduced leaves and resembling panicles or elongate racemes; rachis and pedicels puberulent; calyx campanulate, 5-8 mm long, the outer surface puberulent, the inner surface sparsely villous, the lobes triangular lanceolate, ca. 2 mm long, puberulent, erect to slightly spreading; corolla white, the lobes broadly lanceolate, ca. 1 cm long, the outer surface tomentellous, the inner surface sparsely villous; filaments ca. 3 mm long, slender, densely short villous above, otherwise glabrous, the anthers complicate, forming an irregular head, ca. 2.5-3.0 mm long and wide; pistillode obsolete, glabrous. Pistillate flowers similarly disposed as the staminate flowers; calyx campanulate, 3-4 mm long, puberulent, the lobes linear lanceolate, ca. 2 mm long; corolla lobes linear, otherwise as in the staminate flowers; style 5-6 mm long, the stigma ca. 2 mm long, the ovary subglobose, ca. 5 mm long, puberulent; staminodia ca. 2 mm long, ligulate, villous near the base and at the apex, the cuplike nectary disc surrounding the style at the base. Fruits dirty yellow when mature, ovoid, 16-20 mm long, 12-14 mm wide, glabrous, smooth; seeds tan, elliptic, 8-9 mm long, 5-6 mm wide.
Home