Perennial climbing herb, usually dioecious, with a tuber up to 60 cm in diameter; stems annual, up to 3 m long. Leaves alternate, deeply (3–)5-cleft or -foliolate, orbicular in outline; stipules narrowly triangular, 1–3 mm long, withering; petiole 1–9 cm long; lobes or leaflets ovate to obovate or linear, sometimes deeply lobed, 1.5–15 cm × 1–4(–7) cm, rounded to acute at apex, with glands at base. Inflorescence an axillary cyme, with a 2–10 cm long tendril between the branches, 1–20(–60)-flowered; peduncle up to 7 cm long. Flowers usually unisexual, regular, 5-merous; pedicel up to 3 cm long, jointed about halfway; calyx tube about as long as lobes; petals free, included in calyx, usually toothed; male flowers up to 2.5 cm long, filaments of stamens fused in lower half and anthers curved inward and clinging together, ovary rudimentary; female flowers up to 2 cm long, ovary superior, ovoid to oblong, styles 3, fused at base, stigmas kidney-shaped, stamens rudimentary. Fruit a stalked ovoid to ellipsoid capsule 3–5.5(–7.5) cm × 2–4 cm, smooth, orange to yellow when ripe, many-seeded. Seeds ovoid to ellipsoid, flattened, 6–8 mm × 4.5–6.5 mm × 3 mm, brown, pitted.

Diuretic (root)

PROTAbase: Adenia digitata

The root is rubbed into swellings or applied warm to treat knee swellings. The skin is rubbed with boiled roots or a root decoction to treat skin ailments, leprosy or ulcers. A root decoction is applied externally and also drunk it to treat swollen legs.