Stems ∞, up to 3 m. long, stiff, wiry, grooved, glab., forming large masses in rocky and open ground, occ. scandent. Branches yellowish green, 3-4 mm. diam., terete, finely grooved, bound together by lf-tendrils; nodes distant. Lvs reduced to petioles and petiolules up to 6 cm. long, strongly spirally coiled. Laminae developed in shade and on young plants, small, entire, ovate, acute. Infl. axillary; fls solitary or in panicles of 2-5 on pilose peduncles 1-2 cm. long; bracts pilose-pubescent, narrow-ovate, c. 2 mm. long. ♂ 3-4 cm. diam.; sepals 4 (rarely 5), c. 2 cm. long, ovate-oblong, obtuse to subacute, greenish yellow; stamens ∞, anthers linear-oblong, c. 2 mm. long. ♀ similar, but smaller; achenes ∞, 3-4 mm. long, ovoid, reddish brown, pilose-pubescent; styles c. 2 cm. long.

2n = 16

Evergreen woody climber, often forming tangled mounds of leafless stems over rocks and shrubs. Lvs reduced to petioles and petiolules, twining, glabrous, (3)-5-8-(10) cm long; leaflets 0 except in shaded and young plants, small, entire, ovate, acute. Fls unisexual, solitary or 2-3 clustered in lf axils. Bracts paired, united, pilose, inserted about middle of peduncle. ♂ fls: sepals 4-(5), imbricate, greenish yellow, hairy at least beneath, ovate-lanceolate, (10)-15-25-(35) × 5-10 mm; anthers 2-4 mm long; filaments glabrous. ♀ fls: sepals similar to ♂, 8-15 × 3-7 mm; staminodes few. Achenes reddish brown, hairy, 2-4 mm long. Style 1.5-2-(3) cm long at fruiting.