A branched thorny shrub, scrambling or even becoming a liana; stems up to 10 m long, and up to 15 cm in diameter, with long thorns on the nodes, containing latex; bark light greyish or brownish. Leaves spirally arranged, elliptic to oblong or obovate, (2—)4—9(—11) cm x 1—3.5(—5) cm, entire, base cuneate, apex obtuse to shortly acuminate and mucronate, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, shortly petiolate and with caducous stipules. Inflorescences axillary, usually in pairs but also solitary, short-pedunculate, capitate, bracteate, unisexual; male heads 7—10 mm in diameter, with 4-staminate flowers, female heads 6—8 mm in diameter, containing flowers with a filiform stigma. Fruiting heads composed of accrescent fleshy perianth and bracts forming a capitate syncarp, 15—20 mm in diameter, ripening yellow to orange and red. Seeds rounded, ca. 5 mm across, brown.

PROSEA (Plant Resources of South-East Asia) Foundation

Used against fever (wood); to alleviate coughing (decoction of the roots).