An erect or scrambling, rarely climbing shrub up to 1(—3) m tall, stems soft-hairy, glabrescent, with usually rather few curved to straight prickles. Leaves imparipinnate up to 18 cm long, petiole 1—5.5 cm long, stipules linear, entire, persistent, leaflets in (1—)2—3(—4) opposite pairs, ovate to ovate-oblong, 2—6 cm x 1—2.5 cm, terminal leaflet up to 8 cm x 4 cm, base acute to cordate, apex acute to long tapering, margin biserrate. Inflorescence with up to 4 dichasia in the axils of the upper leaves about 10 cm long, with up to 10 flowers; flowers bisexual, hypanthium saucer-shaped, 4—6.5 mm across, with scattered hairs and many glands outside, sepals ovate to narrowly triangular, 7—15(—22) mm x 2—5 mm, petals broadly ovate to ovate, 8—17 mm x 6—12 mm, white, falling early, stamens 60—140, pistils up to 600, ovaries with some apical hairs and usually many shortly stalked pale glands. Collective fruit ovoid to globose or ellipsoid, up to 2.5 cm across, red, becoming loose from the torus as a whole.

Anodyne, astringent and depurative (leaves and roots); expectorant (decoction of roots); demulcent (syrup of fruit).

Plants For A Future
PROSEA (Plant Resources of South-East Asia) Foundation

Externally applied to itches (leaves); in the treatment of fevers (decoction of the leafy stems).