A creeping or scrambling climber up to 15m. Stems angled, unarmed or sparsely to densely prickly with vicious backwardly directed spines. Leaves to 10 × 10cm, usually leathery lanceolate or triangular or oblong or ovate-lanceolate (rarely reniform), often abruptly narrowed above the heart-shaped (rarely more or less truncate) base, unarmed or with prickles on petiole, margin and principal veins beneath; petiole not thickened towards apex. Flower 5- 30 in fascicles or almost stalkless umbels on terminal and lateral branches in the leaf axils 2- 15-(-45)cm. Perianth-segments 2-4mm. Fruit a red or black berry.

Alterative, demulcent, depurative, diaphoretic, diuretic, stimulant and tonic (root)

Plants For A Future
Mediterranean Plants Identification & Distribution
Ethnomedicinal uses of plants among the Newar community of Pharping village of Kathmandu district, Nepal

The ripe fruits are squeezed and applied to the skin in the treatment of scabies. the stem or leaf juice is used to treat maternity or post-natal problems and skin diseases.