Liana up to 35 m long, with clear sap or sometimes with white latex; stem up to 3 cm in diameter; bark pale grey-brown with many lenticels. Leaves opposite, simple and entire; stipules in axil of petiole; petiole 2–5(–8) mm long; blade elliptical to narrowly elliptical, 4–16.5 cm × 2–6.5 cm, base obtuse to cordate, apex rounded to shortly acuminate, leathery, glabrous. Inflorescence a rather lax terminal dichasial cyme, many-flowered; peduncle 5–20 mm long; bracts sepal-like. Flowers bisexual, regular, 5-merous, fragrant; pedicel 2–6 mm long; sepals free, ovate, 1.5–2 mm long, rounded or obtuse; corolla white, often with greenish tube, tube 5–8 mm long, 1–2 mm wide above the base, widening near the insertion of the stamens and narrowed towards the throat, glabrous or slightly hairy outside, inside with hairy belt below insertion of stamens, lobes obliquely orbicular to elliptical or obovate, 4.5–8 mm long, at apex rounded and often wavy, spreading, glabrous outside, hairy with curled to rather straight hairs at the part of the lobes covered in the bud and hairy inside at the base and in the upper part of the throat; stamens inserted halfway the corolla tube, just included or exserted, anthers sessile, arrow-shaped; ovary superior, ovoid, consisting of 2 separate carpels, style narrowly obconical, 2.5–3 mm long, pistil head consisting of basal ring, cylindrical part and 2-lobed stigmoid apex. Fruit consisting of 2 separate, cylindrical, linear follicles 15–50 cm × 0.5–1 cm, dehiscent, dark brown, many-seeded. Seeds narrowly ellipsoid, c. 20 mm long, at the top with a tuft of hairs c. 2.5 cm long.

PROTAbase: Alafia barteri

A leaf infusion is used to treat malaria. A decoction is taken to treat rheumatic pains.