A perennial scrambling shrub or woody herb, 1—2.5(—4) m tall; stems numerous, succulent, ribbed, forming a dense clump, rooting at the nodes, main roots woody. Leaves alternate, almost circular to reniform, 5—36(—40) cm x 4.5—37(—42) cm, base deeply cordate, apex shortly acuminate to rounded, margins entire or crenulate, fairly thin, glandular black punctate, sparsely to densely hairy on the veins above and underneath, veins palmate, 11—15, blade dark green above, greyish underneath; petiole 6.5—30 cm long, dilated and sheathing basally. Inflorescence an axillary or leaf-opposed spike, 5.5—15 cm long, 2—8 together in false umbels, peduncle 3—12 cm long, 1—3 peduncles together, peduncular bracts narrow, 6—8 mm long, white, caducous; flowers small, bisexual, floral bracts triangular to rounded, 0.5—0.8 mm wide, subpeltate, margins fimbriate, white, cream or yellow; perianth absent; stamens 2; ovary superior, 1-locular, stigmas 3. Fruit a drupe, obpyramidal, 3-angled, 0.6—1 mm x 0.4—0.6 mm, brownish. Seed globose, endosperm little, perisperm copious, embryo small.

Emollient (leaves); emmenagogue, galactagogue, and diuretic (leaf juice); stimulant and diuretic (roots); digestive (decoction of roots); emmenagogue, anti-abortive and antihaemorrhagic (aerial parts).

PROSEA (Plant Resources of South-East Asia) Foundation

Applied on abscesses, wounds or contusions, tied on the stomach for oedema and used in massages for migraine and headache (leaves); taken for stomach problems and as a wash for feverish children (decoction of leaves); employed in poultices on swellings and burns, or dropped into the ear for earache and in the eyes for conjunctivitis (leaf juice); chewed with betel (Piper betle L.) for cough (fruits); used to treat pains in the kidneys, dropsy, chlorosis and colic (leaves and fruits); promotes the flow of bile (roots); taken to relieve liver obstruction, jaundice, malaria, urinary problems, syphilis, leucorrhoea, menstrual problems and stomach-ache, and is also applied on wounds and inflamed tumours (decoction of leaves or roots); for dyspepsia, constipation and gastralgia (decoction of roots); used against tapeworm and used in baths to subdue oedema and uterine complaints (plant).