Climbers glabrous except for rachis and bases of bracts when mature, dioecious. Stems grayish black when dry, thickly ridged, sparsely roughly pubescent when young. Petiole 1(-1.5) cm, hispid, especially adaxially, sheathed at base only; leaf blades ovate, those at apex of stem longer, 4.5-9 × 2.5-6 cm, papery, without glands, glabrous, base rounded, slightly oblique, apex acute; veins 7, abaxially very prominent, apical pair arising 0.8-2 cm above base; reticulate veins conspicuous. Spikes leaf-opposed. Male spikes 5-8.5 cm × ca. 2 mm; peduncle hispid, ca. 1 cm; rachis glabrous; bracts orbicular, ca. 1 mm wide, peltate, sessile. Stamens 3; filaments thick, nearly as long as anthers; anthers reniform. Female spikes 3-3.5 cm × ca. 2 mm at anthesis, drying black; peduncle and rachis as in male spikes; bracts suborbicular, sometimes base slightly tapered, 1-1.1 × 0.5-0.6 mm. Ovary ovoid, partly connate to rachis; stigmas 3, ellipsoid, ca. 0.5 mm. Drupe not seen. Fl. Mar-Apr.
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