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Leaves glabrous or sparsely furnished with scattered multicellular hairs along the veins of the inferior surface, those of the median part of the stem 3.5–15 × 1.5–8 cm., broadly ovate to ovate-lanceolate, lanceolate or elliptic, acutely acuminate, shortly cuneate or rounded into the 1–3 cm. long petiole, the superior leaves narrower and more shortly petiolate.
Inflorescences terminal and axillary, the axillary simple or branched, c. 8–25 × 0.5 cm., the terminal usually a broad panicle up to 70 × 30 cm. with branches diverging more or less at right angles; indumentum of axes resembling that of the branches; partial inflorescences always condensed, 2–6 mm. in diam., usually distant at least below.
Tepals 2–2.5 mm. long, oblong-elliptic, acute, mucronate with the excurrent midrib, which is subtended on each side by one long inner and one shorter outer nerve, scarious, with a central stramineous or buff-coloured area, moderately furnished towards the base with long brownish, flexuous, multicellular hairs.
Bracts and bracteoles c. 1 mm. long, deltoid-ovate, acute, very shortly mucronate with the excurrent midrib, with at least the margins and usually the base of the midrib furnished with long, multicellular hairs.
Filaments with the free apices shorter than the basal cup; short, blunt intermediate teeth often present, these evanescent at maturity.
Stem and branches striate, glabrous or (especially about the nodes) more or less furnished with brownish multicellular hairs.
Seeds 1–1.25 mm. in diam., lenticular, black, shiny, depressed-verruculose, the areolae of the reticulum strongly convex.
Spreading or scandent branched perennial herb, up to 9 m. but not rarely only 1–2 m. in the Flora Zambesiaca area.
Ovary 1–2-ovulate; stigmas 2, divergent, longer than the 0.5 mm. long style.
Capsule shortly ovoid, rounded into the style, 1.25–1.5 mm. long, included.
