Erect herb 0.5–1 m. tall, entirely glabrous, with a single ± fleshy stem from a short rootstock; root-branches 2–5, each with a globose tuber up to 7 cm. in diameter; tendrils absent.. Leaves held one above the other due to twisting of internodes, glaucous, simple, sessile, elliptic to ovate, 13–24 cm. long, 8–12.5 cm. wide, acute at the apex, cuneate at the base, entire to distantly crenate-serrulate; stipules lanceolate, 1.3–2 cm. long, 3.5–5 mm. wide, scarious.. Cymes bright red, terminal, 2–3-chotomous; peduncle up to 13 cm. long; pedicels up to 3 mm. long.. Buds constricted at middle, swollen at the apex.. Calyx entire to shallowly lobed.. Petals 4, purple or yellow, 1.5 mm. long, soon falling.. Fruit red or purple, ± globose, 6–7 mm. in diameter.. Seeds ± 4.5 mm. in diameter; ventral ridge strongly marked; dorsal ridges evident with some ridges and tuberculation between; sides with tuberculation and 2–3 unequal ridges.
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