Cyphostemma setosum (Roxb.) Alston

Prostrate herb from a tuberous rootstock; stems tinged reddish, striate, sparsely pubescent and with red gland-tipped bristly hairs; tendrils present or ± or entirely absent.. Leaves (1–)3(–5)-foliolate, usually sessile or almost so; leaflets elliptic or narrowly obovate to obovate, 1.3–5(–10) cm. long, 0.9–3(–7.5) cm. wide, in Africa the lateral leaflets often half the size of or very much smaller than the median one, obtuse to acute at the apex, cuneate at the base, serrate-crenate, the teeth glandular, sparsely pilose and with gland-tipped hairs especially on the venation beneath; petioles 0–5 mm. long (to 3 cm. in one Indian specimen); petiolules up to 1 cm. long; stipules red, lanceolate, 0.5–1 cm. long, 2–3 mm. wide, sparsely pubescent and margins usually glandular.. Cymes terminal on short side-branches, lax, trichotomous; peduncle 1.5–3 cm. long, with same indumentum as the stems; pedicels 2–3 mm. long, pubescent and with gland-tipped hairs; bracts and bracteoles linear, 2 mm. long, pubescent.. Flower buds white or yellow, oblong-cylindric, 2.5 mm. long, constricted near the middle, pilose or glabrescent.. Calyx red, 0.5 mm. long, ± entire, pilose.. Fruit red (fide Gamble and Wight & Arnott), ellipsoid, 7–9 mm. long, 5 mm. wide, glabrous or with few glands in Africa but densely covered with gland-tipped hairs in India.. Seed subglobose-ovoid, 6 mm. long, 4 mm. wide; ventral median ridge very strong, dorsal ridges less strong, rugose; transverse ridges mostly few but ± evident (see note).

It is a tropical plant.