A perennial, glabrous twiner, 3—6 m long, stems annual, terete, finely striate in the older parts, tubers fusiform to globose, fasciculate, 10—25 cm long, with a milky juice. Leaves broadly ovate to orbicular, 6—12 cm x 4.5—12 cm, base cordate, apex abruptly acuminate, margin entire, petiole 6—10 cm long. Flowers 1—3 together, peduncle 3—15 cm long, bracts linear-lanceolate, caducous; flower-buds narrowly ovoid, acute, pedicel 12—15 mm long, clavate, sepals subequal, 24—30 mm long, concave, outer ones broadly ovate-elliptical, corolla broadly funnel-shaped, 7—8 cm long, white, minute glands outside, mid-petaline bands distinctly veined, base of filaments hairy, anthers spirally twisted. Capsule ovoid, about 1,5 cm in diameter, enclosed by permanent calyx. Seed 8 mm long, greyish to black, with long, brownish hairs along the margins.

Purgative (sap of the fresh tubers).

PROSEA (Plant Resources of South-East Asia) Foundation

The sap of the fresh tubers is widely drunk in affections of the throat and respiratory organs, dysentery, fever, and externally applied for snakebite, burns, fevers, dysentery, poisoning, chest and throat affections and oedema.