Woody vines. Leaves papyraceous to coriaceous, 5—16(—19) jam thick; lamina elliptic to ovate, (9—)10—15(—21) by (4.5-)5-9(-15) cm, length: width ratio (1.3-)1.4-2.1 (-2.4); primary vein variably plane to highly impressed above, (very) prominent below; secondary veins 4-6(-8) pairs, (slightly) arcuate; base obtuse to truncate (cuneate in younger leaves); apex acute to acuminate; margin entire; petiole (7.5-)11.5-30(-48) mm long, 1.2-2.3(-2.8) mm diameter. Flowers either borne solitary in axils of leaves (occasionally with secondary flower borne in axil of prophyll) or in axils of fugace-ous bracts, occasionally cauliflorous; peduncle (4-)8-42(-70) mm long, 0.6-1.3 mm diameter. Perianth segments (7-) 11-18, white, pale yellow or red, outer segments occasionally pale green, tinged red; outermost perianth segment generally ovate, 1.5-3.8 by 2.0-3.3 mm, length: width ratio 0.7-1.2, highly reduced to 0.1-0.4 of length of largest; innermost perianth segment (sub)elliptic, 4.3-7.3(-10.5) by 2.9-6.2 mm, length: width ratio (1.2-)1.5-2.1, reduced to 0.4-0.7(-0.9) of length of largest; largest perianth segment generally ovate, occasionally orbiculate or elliptic, (7.4-)9-16(-18.9)by (4.7-) 7.0-12.0(-14.3) mm, length: width ratio 1.0-1.6. Male flowers with 24-52 stamens, pink to dark red, anthers ± sessile, closely appressed in subglobose to ellipsoid head, 4.1-6.0 mm diameter, connectives broad, with dorso-lateral thecae so that thecae of adjacent stamens not contiguous. Female flowers with 50-82 (-110) carpels, gynoecium 4.9-6.5 mm diameter; ovaries 1.8-2.7 by 0.9-1.4 mm, length: width ratio (1.6-)1.9-2.6(-3.0); pseudostyle broad with subpeltate pseudostigma. Fruit peduncle not markedly elongated, 21-25 mm long; berries 40-93 (possibly more), ripening red, 9.5-22(-30) by 6.5-14(-17.5) mm, length: width ratio 1.2-1.8 (-2.1), berries sessile, pericarp greatly thickened distally, with basal locule and seeds. Seeds 1 or 2 per berry, pyriform, discoid or reniform, (4.5-)5.5-8.5(-10) by (4-)5-9 (-11) mm, length: width ratio 0.8-1.1(-1.5). Fig. 1.
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A big woody climber. It grows 25 m long. The leaves are alternate. They are simple and broadly oval. They are 10-15 cm long by 5-9 cm wide. The flowers occur singly and in the axils of leaves. They are occasionally on the stems. The fruit is 5 cm across. They are made up of 40-100 small berries. They are red when ripe. There are 1-2 seeds per berry.
UsesKadsura scandens is reported to have a variety of medicinal uses. Decoctions of the roots and/or stems are used as a lotion to combat rheumatism or as an expectorant; the sap is drunk as a remedy for urinary problems, abdominal pains and diarrhoea, or applied to alleviate skin diseases; and the bark is further used to combat fever. See Burkill Diet. Econ. Prod. Malay Penins. 2 1966 1296 K. Heyne Nutt. PI. Indon. 3 1950 626 L.M.Perry Medic. PL S. & SE. Asia 1980 381-382 The fruit is also reported to be edible, although rather astringent (Burkill 1966; Heyne 1950).
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The ripe fruits are eaten. They are sour.
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