Scrambling brittle herb to 3–4 m. or more; stems coarsely prickly, but otherwise glabrous except near the nodes, the older ones often becoming corky and thick, ± winged, yellowish, up to 6 mm. wide.. Leaves and stipules in whorls of 4–6, distinctly petiolate, sometimes with a ring of stiffish reddish brown hairs within the whorl; petioles up to 3(–5) mm. long, often pubescent; blades elliptic, 0.9–3.6 cm. long, (0.3–)0.4–1.2 cm. wide, acute and apiculate at the apex, cuneate at the base, margins and midnerve very coarsely prickly so that plant is very harshly adhesive but otherwise glabrous except for a few hairs on midrib above.. Cymes mostly 1(–3)-flowered; peduncles 0.3–1.3 cm. long; pedicels 0–9 mm. long.. Calyx-tube 0.3–0.55 mm. in diameter, glabrous.. Corolla green, white, greenish white or yellowish white; tube (0.5–)0.6–1.1 mm. long; lobes ovate, 1–1.5 mm. long, 0.7–1 mm. wide, very shortly acuminate.. Fruits blackish purple; cocci 3–5.5 mm. in diameter, glabrous.. Fig. 59/7–14, p. 396.
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