Cissus polyantha Gilg & M.Brandt

Juicy liane to 9(–15) m. long; young stems green in life, glabrous to pubescent; older stems soft, pliable with smooth red-brown bark, sometimes glaucous; tendrils present.. Leaves red when young, ovate or somewhat rhombic-or oblong-ovate or ± round, 5–20.5 cm. long, 3–17 cm. wide, narrowly acuminate at the apex, cordate at the base, margin with close very narrow somewhat spreading teeth 1 mm. long, glabrous above except for finely puberulous main nerves, velvety pale brown pubescent on venation beneath when young, the pubescence defining narrowly oblong areoles in young leaves which are more finely puberulous; petiole 3–12 cm. long; stipules peltate, rounded oblong, 3.5–6 mm. long, 2.5–4 mm. wide, cordate, ± glabrous or densely pubescent.. Inflorescences complicated umbel-like cymes of umbel-like ultimate elements, 6–10 cm. wide, the individual elements many-flowered, 1–1.5 cm. wide; peduncles 4–8 cm. long; pedicels very slender, (2)(4–)6–7 mm. long (long in East African specimen) glabrescent to densely pubescent; all axes puberulous; bracts triangular, ± 2 mm. long.. Calyx round, 1.3 mm. wide, entire, glabrous to densely pubescent.. Buds conical, 1.5 mm. long, glabrous or micropuberulous.. Petals rose or greenish or ± colourless.. Style ± 1 mm. long.. Fruit black, pyriform or subglobose, 4–5 mm. diameter, glabrous.. Seed globose, 4.5 mm. long, 4 mm. wide, 3.5 mm. thick; basal projection triangular, thick, the median keel marked and sinuous, laterals bifurcate or branched with several radials; surface smooth.

In forest vegetation.