Herbaceous or at base subwoody climbers, with perennial rootstock or tubers, in Malesia largely glabrous; dioecious (elsewhere monoecious). Probract minute, linear, often caducous or absent. Tendrils unbranched. Leaves: petiole usually short, rendering the leaves frequently semi-amplexicaul; blade simple, variable in shape. Flowers: petals valvate-induplicate, white or cream, free. Male flowers in sessile or peduncled condensed racemes; pedicel suberect, persistent, often with bract at base or inserted about halfway; receptacle-tube cup-shaped; sepals minute; petals small, hairy; stamens 3, two 2-thecous, one 1-thecous, filaments free, long, inserted at base of the receptacle-tube, anthers with swollen connective (elsewhere with narrow connective), not produced, thecae oblique and (slightly) curved, or somewhate sigmoid (elsewhere erect and straight); disc 3-(or 4-)lobed, conspicuous, carnose. Female flowers single, solitary or co-axillary with male raceme; perianth as in male. Ovary narrowly ellipsoid, glabrous or hairy; ovules few or several; staminodes 3 (or 4), inserted on the receptacle; disc a deeply lobed cup or consisting of 3(-5) lobes, at base of style. Fruit carnose, glabrous, hairy or scabrous. Seeds several, little compressed or nearly globose, smooth (elsewhere sculptured).
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Herbs, scandent, perennial. Roots tuberous. Stem and branches slender, subglabrous. Tendrils simple, glabrous. Petiole very short or almost obsolete; leaf blade polymorphic, very variable, base cordate or hastate. Plants dioecious or monoecious. Male flowers in umbelliform or cymose inflorescence; calyx tube campanulate; segments 5, ± subulate; corolla yellow or yellow-white; segments triangular; stamens 3, two 2-celled, one 1-celled; filaments short; anthers oblong; anther cells conduplicate or curved. Female flowers solitary; ovary oblong; ovules few, horizontal; staminodes 3. Fruit oblong or ovoid, indehiscent. Seeds few, globose.
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