Climbing or prostrate herb 0.7–1.5 m.; stems striate, pubescent and with gland-tipped hairs; tendrils present or absent.. Leaves 3–5(–7)-foliolate; leaflets narrowly elliptic, oblanceolate or obovate, 1.5–22 cm. long, 1–6 cm. wide, obtuse to acute at the apex, cuneate at the base, crenate-serrate or very irregularly serrate, sparsely pubescent above, usually rather more densely pubescent or even ± ferruginous tomentose (? silvery in life) beneath, particularly on the nerves and with some gland-tipped hairs on midrib and near base; petiole 0.5–6.5(–9.5) cm. long and petiolules 0–1.5 cm. long, both with same indumentum as the stem; stipules oblong to lanceolate-acuminate, 0.8–1.6(–2) cm. long, 4–5 mm. wide, falcate, pubescent.. Cymes lax, 6–16 cm. wide; peduncle 3.5–20 cm. long with same indumentum as stems; pedicels 2–5 mm. long, pubescent; bracts and bracteoles filiform, up to 3 mm. long, pubescent.. Buds oblong-cylindric, 2.3–2.5 mm. long, constricted near the middle, puberulous to densely pubescent and often with gland-tipped hairs at the apex (but not in East Africa).. Calyx 1.8 mm. wide, entire, densely pubescent.. Petals yellow.. Fruit reddish purple, ellipsoid, 8 mm. long, 6 mm. wide, pubescent and sometimes with a few short gland-tipped hairs.. Seeds ellipsoid, 6.5–7 mm. long, 4.5–5 mm. wide; ventral ridge strong; dorsal mid-ridge strong for apical 2/3, laterals evident and irregularly rugose, the surface in general covered with small tubercles some with a central pit
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