Twining liana, rarely shrub, the branches to 10 m long; stems becoming distinctly woody. Young stems sparsely to densely strigose or tomentose, sometimes scabrid, with appressed or spreading simple hairs and sometimes also with stellate-fascicled hairs, sometimes glabrescent. Leaves petiolate; petiole 5–20 mm long, indumentum as for the young stems; lamina elliptic or ovate to oblong or lanceolate, (3–) 5–12 (–20) cm long, (2–) 3–5 (–7) cm wide; margin entire to dentate; apex obtuse to acute; adaxial surface glabrous or sparsely to densely pubescent, sometimes scabrid, with ± appressed antrorse simple hairs or occasionally also with ± unequal (sometimes minute) stellate-fascicled hairs, glabrescent or persistently hairy; abaxial surface with indumentum as for adaxial surface, with hairs on the veins more persistent than the lamina or with the lamina ± glabrous. Inflorescences terminal (often on short branches), 20–60 (–100)-flowered; axis with indumentum as for the young stems. Bracts subtending branches of the inflorescence or often partway up the axis, narrowly lanceolate to elliptic, 1–4 mm long, acute, the indumentum as for the young stems. Flowers pedicellate; pedicel 0.5–2 mm long, indumentum as for young stems. Sepals 4 or 5, unequal, 3–6 mm long, the margin ciliolate, abaxial surface with moderately to densely pubescent or tomentose with appressed or spreading simple hairs and sometimes also with stellate-fascicled hairs, adaxial surface glabrous or with sparse simple hairs; inner sepals longer and wider than outer sepals. Petals 3, white, broadly elliptic to orbicular, 5–6.5 mm long, ± entire, with marginal cilia at the apex. Stamens 120–150; filaments very slender, free, 3–4 mm long; anthers with thecae separated and marginal at the apex of the broadened, ± emarginate connective, 0.6–1 mm long (including the connective). Carpels (2) 3 (4); ovaries ovoid, densely pubescent with coarse simple hairs; styles 1–2 mm long. Ovules c. 10 per carpel. Fruiting carpels ovoid, 5–8 mm long, with beaked apex, 1-seeded. Seeds ovoid, c. 3 mm long, glossy black; aril c. 5 mm long, red, the margin laciniate to 2/3 to 4/5 its length.
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Shrub or large climber, up to 10 m high, with slightly scabrid branches. Leaves elliptic to lanceolate, ca 5-10 by 3-5 cm, with rounded to acute apex and base. Petiole 5-15 mm. Inflorescence terminal, 15-50-flowered, often with 1-3 leaves in the basal part. Flower ca 6-10 mm diam. Sepals 4-5, the outer two circular, ca 1½-2 mm diam., the inner two or three ovate, ca 3-4½ by 2-3½ mm, glabrous or rarely sericeous inside, scabrid outside. Petals 3. Stamens 4-5 mm long; Anthercells strongly separated at the apex. Carpels 2-4, usually 3, with rather rigid, 0.5 mm long hairs thinner than in T. scandens (L.) MERR., with ca 10 ovules. Capsules ovoid, 5-8 by 3-5 mm with a 1-2 mm long beak, 1-seeded. Seed ca 3 by 2½ mm. Aril 5 mm long, laciniate to ⅔-¾ of its length.
Grows in rainforests, notophyll vine forests, mid montane forests, swamps and scrublands, and at an elevation from around sea level to 1200 m.
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