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Flowers c. 8–18, functionally unisexual, in axillary, sessile or shortly pedunculate fascicles, rarely also in terminal fascicles; buds c. 1·5 mm. long, ovoid; peduncles up to 1 mm. long (up to c. 5 mm. in Congo specimens); pedicels 3–5 mm. long, smooth, articulated at the base.
A strongly growing creeper. It can be 2 to 40 m long. The leaves are 4-18 cm long by 2-8 cm wide. They are opposite. The flowers are yellow to brown and 3-4 mm across. The fruit is round and 2-3 cm across.
Liane up to 6 m. high or higher, with latex, glabrous; stems flattened, not lined, pale green and smooth at first, becoming terete and yellowish-brown, smooth, with scarcely prominent lenticels.
Stamens 3, with filaments slender, longer than the style (male forms) or much shorter (female forms); anthers apiculate and sterile in female forms, dehiscing by 2 longitudinal clefts.
Ovary ovoid-3-gonous, with style c. 0·5 mm. long; stigma entire, 3-lobed (female forms) or punctiform (male forms); ovules 2 per loculus.
Sepals with pale margin, c. 0·5 mm. long, semicircular, rounded, ± unequal, united at the base, with margin entire or subentire.
Petals greenish-yellow, with pale margin, 1·5–2 mm. long, ovate to oblong, shortly unguiculate, rounded, entire.
Fruit orange-pink with small whitish spots, globose, 1–2 cm. in diam., smooth, 1–3-seeded.
Disk annular, flat or rather concave, surrounding the base of the ovary.
