Dioecious or polygamous lignescent vines climbing by means of foliar tendrils, the branches reddish-brown, striate, often pilose. Leaves opposite, with three (or more in var. brasiliana) leaflets, glabrate or pilose below, falcate-ovate, en-tire or with 1 or 2 apiculate teeth, apically acute to long-acuminate, basally rounded to subcordate, 2-8 cm. long, 1.5-5.0 cm. broad, with 3-5 nerves arising near the base, the petiolules 1.0-2.5 cm. long, the petioles to 8 cm. long, glabrous or pilose, the rhachis often coiling. Staminate flowers in axillary and terminal simple or compound dichasial cymes, the pedicels 10-30 mm. long, all branches subtended by progressively reduced bracts, glabrous or pubescent; sepals 4, oblong-obovate, 3-nerved, apically obtuse, marginally involute, 7-11 mm. long, 3.5-5 mm. broad; stamens numerous, the outer longer and perhaps infertile, the anthers basifixed, 2-celled, 0.7-1.0 mm. long, longitudinally dehiscent; filaments flattened; pistillodes plumose when present. Carpellate inflorescences similar to the staminate, the sepals 4, 3-nerved, early-caducous, 6-11 mm. long, 3-5 mm. broad; carpels numerous, ovary 1-2 mm. long, arcuate-ellipsoid, pubescent, the plumose styles 5-10 mm. long. Mature achenes compressed-ellipsoid, flanged, 2.5-4.0 mm. long, 1.0-2.5 mm. broad, reddish-brown, the elongate plumose styles with hairs to 5 mm. long.
Can be grown by cuttings or seedlings. Seeds needs soaking.
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