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Leaves solitary or occasionally geminate; petiole (0.3)0.5–4 cm long; lamina usually membranous, 2–13.5 × (0.6)1–7 cm, generally ovate-lanceolate to elliptic, occasionally somewhat oblanceolate to obovate, rounded to cuneate at the base, ± decurrent into the petiole, apically usually ± acuminate, entire or sub-undulate and somewhat revolute, generally with only a few hairs, the more persistent ones somewhat swollen; lateral nerves 5–7 pairs, curved-ascending.
Cymes terminal, becoming displaced laterally, paniculiform to racemiform or spiciform, lax to congested, usually many-flowered, the pedicels clustered in groups, often ± puberulous; peduncle (0.7)1–6.5(8.5) cm long; rhachis 0.2–5.5 cm long; pedicels 5–18 (22 in fruit) mm long.
Corolla blue to mauve or purple, sometimes white, with or without a conspicuous yellow or orange centre, 10–19 mm across, ± deeply stelliform; lobes 5–10 × 1–2.5 mm, linear-oblong or lanceolate, hooked, obtuse or acute, tomentellous to puberulous outside, often reflexed.
Stamen filaments 0.3–1.3 mm long, linear, free (or connate outside the Flora Zambesiaca area); anthers 2–5 mm long, ± ellipsoid, emarginate at both ends, free or connate, densely papillose to epapillose on inner side.
A woody climber. It grows 3-15 m long. The branches are hairy. The leaves are single. The leaf blade is 2-14 cm long by 1-7 cm wide. There are many flowers in a head. The fruit are orange or red and 5-10 mm across.
Calyx 1.2–3 mm long, campanulate or cupular, pubescent, and sometimes with glandular hairs, to glabrous; lobes ± triangular to ovate, acute to sub-truncate; in fruit somewhat enlarged.
Seeds pale brownish, 2.5–3 × 2–2.5 mm, reniform or ± obovate in outline, reticulate-veined, pseudo-tomentose with minute fibrils.
Branches scurfy pubescent with simple and branched hairs on youngest parts, soon glabrescent.
Woody climber up to 15 m, sometimes a straggling shrub or trailing in absence of support.
Fruits orange or red to deep blue, 5–10 mm in diameter, globose to ellipsoid, glabrous.
Ovary 0.75–1.5 mm in diameter, subglobose-conic or ellipsoid.
