Liana, up to 10 m, sometimes a shrub up to 4 m. Stem ± 1 cm diam. Climbing shoots patent, c. 45°, first internodium 3.5-7 cm, hooks 1 or 2 at the end of a climbing shoot or up to 3 in the axils of leaves or inflorescences, at the apex sometimes with reduced inflorescences, (0.5—)1.5—4.5 cm long. Stipules liguliform to shallowly triangular, 0.8-1.5 by 1-1.5 mm, entire to crenate. Leaves elliptic to ovate, 3-11.5 by 1.5-4.7 cm; base obtuse, rarely cuneate; margin glandular-crenulate; apex obtusely acuminate, rarely obtuse, acumen up to 1.5 cm; nerves (4-) 5-8 pairs; veins ± perpendicular to midrib and many parallel; reticulation rather lax, irregularly parallel, predominantly in basal half and along midrib, densely reticulate in apical part of leaf; petiole 0.5-1 cm. Flowers in (l-)4-7(-14)-flowered fascicles. Pedicel articulate, 0.5-1.5 mm. Bracteoles membranous, ovate, 0.3 —1(—1.5) by 0.3—1(—1.5) mm. Sepals elliptic to ovate, 1.7-2.5 by 0.7-1.6 mm. Stamens 1.8-2.2 and 2.5-3.5 mm; staminal tube 0.7-0.8 mm high. Ovary 3-loculed, rather smooth, cylindric to ovoid, 0.8-1 by 0.6-0.7 mm; styles 2-3.5 mm; stigma clavate, recurved, slightly 2-lobed, c. 0.25 mm diam. Drupe ovoid, 4-4.5 by 2.5-3 mm; exocarp thin-fleshy, c. 0.2 mm thick; mesocarp chartaceous, ± lengthwise grooved, c. 0.2 mm thick; endocarp woody, crescent-shaped in CS, ± 0.2-0.4 mm thick. Seed(s) 1 (or 2), ventrally attached, semi-ovoid, 2.5—2.1 by 1.7-1.9 mm, often asymmetric; hilum narrowly elliptic, ±1.5 mm long; aril indistinct, short, ± thickened below the hilum; testa thin. Embryo 2.8-3 by 1.3-1.5 mm; cotyledons straight, broadly elliptic to ± orbicular, 1.5-1.7 by 1.3-1.5 mm; radicle cylindric to slightly flattened, 0.8-1 by 0.2-0.3 mm. Endosperm granular.
Uses. According to SCHOLZ ( SCHOLZ Engler Syllabus 2 1964 243 ) the plant contains saponin-like constituents. They are used in mixtures for arrow poisons. See also BURKILL Dict. 1935 1949 . For details on chemical contents see HEGNAUER Chemotaxonomie der Pflanzen 4 1966 397 . On the label of CHIN 2829 is mentioned: 'a "T"-point can be made into a parang handle. The wood is tough, not excessively hard, and will not split easily.'.
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