Cissus aralioides Planch.

Extensive liane or herbaceous climber 2–2.5 m. long, woody at the base; stems often violet-purple or yellowish, thick, ± fleshy, cylindrical, 3–5 mm. in diameter, glabrous or glabrescent except sometimes (? not in East Africa) laxly reddish pilose at the nodes and a tuft within the axils of the stipules, sometimes with densely scattered black points; the lower stems can be up to 7.5 cm. in diameter and ridged and angular when dry; tendrils simple or bifid, glabrous or glabrescent.. Leaves 3–9-foliolate; leaflets somewhat fleshy, the median one narrowly oblong-elliptic to oblong-obovate, 3.5–18(–25) cm. long, 1.5–8 cm. wide, narrowly long decurrent into the petiolule, the laterals asymmetrically oblong-elliptic, ovate-oblong or ± elliptic, glabrous except for a few hairs at base of the midrib beneath, dentate, the teeth red, subulate or short and thick; petiole 1.5–15 cm. long, glabrous or glabrescent; petiolules 0–2.5 cm. long; stipules ovate-elliptic, oblong or ± falcate, 2–8 mm. long, 1.5–4 mm. wide, rounded at the apex, ± cordate at the base, sometimes slightly peltate, glabrous.. Flowers in compound cymes 4–10 cm. long, made up of umbelliform cymules; peduncle 1.5–3 cm. long, glabrescent or laxly pubescent; pedicels 4–7(–10) mm. long, lengthening to 1.5 cm. in fruit, glabrous to golden pilose or scurfy; bracts and bracteoles triangular, 1–1.5 mm. long, glabrous or glabrescent.. Calyx cupuliform, 1 mm. tall, glabrous to densely pubescent.. Flowers 3.5–5 mm. long; corolla glabrous but finely papillose.. Petals usually red outside, greenish white or cream inside or sometimes entirely so, narrowly triangular, 3 mm. long, glabrous.. Stamens 2.5 mm. long.. Ovary glabrous; style 1 mm. long.. Fruits blue-purple, oblong-ovoid, 0.8–3 cm. long, 0.8–2 cm. wide, glabrous, edible.. Seeds oblong up to 1.5 cm. long, 7–8 mm. wide, 4 mm. thick, strongly laterally compressed; basal projection short; median keel thick; surface smooth.

Coastal and riverine evergreen forest; semi-deciduous forest; disturbed forest; coastal bushland; wet Acacia bushland; grassland; often in thicket on granite rocks and termite mounds; damp dense primitive woods, swampy forests; 15-1,600 metres.

The seeds are cooked and eaten.

Can be grown by cuttings or seedlings.