A glabrous, perennial, herbaceous twiner to 4(—10) m long. Roots forming a fascicle of many thick, fleshy, yellow or black tuberous roots up to 15—20 cm long. Leaves opposite, those at the lower part of shoots often alternate, ovate or broadly ovate, 9—20 cm x 3—14 cm, base cordate, apex acuminate, veins 9—13, all basal; petiole 1.5—7 cm long, not sheathing; stipules absent. Inflorescence axillary, racemose, (1—)2—6-flowered; peduncle 2—8 cm long, free or fused with the petiole for 0.5—3 cm; bracts 0.5—1.5 cm long; flowers 4-merous, pedicel 0.5—3 cm long, tepals in 2 rows of 2 tepals, free, valvate, persistent, 2.5—4 cm x 0.4—1 cm, outside green or yellowish with dark green or purple stripes, inside brown or brown-red with red stripes; stamens 4, 2.5—4 cm long, filaments short, anthers 0.8—1.5 cm long, appendix of anthers 5—12 mm long, tips fused, purple; ovary superior; style absent. Fruit a pendulous capsule, 4—7 cm x 1.5—2 cm, opening with 2 valves, 10—20-seeded. Seed 1—1.7 cm long, with an acumen about 4 mm long, basally inserted, dangling on a 8 mm long funicle, the base surrounded by a vesicular aril.

Antitussive and anthelmintic (tuberous roots).

PROSEA (Plant Resources of South-East Asia) Foundation

The tuberous roots are used against coughs. It is crushed and soaked in water, are topically applied to treat scabies and kill head lice. The roots are also used as an anthelmintic especially in pinworm infection, where it is applied as an enema or as a decoction in combination with a purgative.

Jing-Nuan Wu. An Illustrated Chinese Materia Medica. P: 612, Oxford University Press, Inc.2005.