Dioecious, tendriled vines or lianas; stems 5-sulcate. Leaves petiolate, simple, entire, angulate or 3-or 5-lobate; tendrils 2-branched near the apex. Staminate flowers in axillary panicles; calyx campanulate, 5-lobate; corolla 5-lobate, spread-ing; stamens 5, free, the filaments recurving, the anthers 1-celled, straight. Pis-tillate flowers disposed as the staminate flowers; calyx and corolla as in the staminate flowers; ovary globose, 3-carpellate, the styles 3, connate for at least part of their length, the stigmas forming a capitate, 3-lobate head; stamninodia minute, sometimes reduced to the glands, or absent. Fruit globose, indehiscent, with circumferential receptacle scar near the apex; seeds several in each carpel, pendulous, orbicular to elliptic, compressed, the testa rugose or somewhat echinate.
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