Description
Deciduous vine, growing to a height of 2-4 meters. Leaves are short-petioled, pale when dry, oblong, oblong-ovate, or elliptic lanceolate, 6-7 cm long, 3-8 cm wide, papery; the base pointed or slightly heart-shaped and the tips pointed. Female spikes are oblong when mature, red, fleshy and cylindric, 3-6 cm long, 3-11 mm diameter. The fruit is united, embedded in the rachis. The seeds are subglobose to obovoid-globose, aboout 2 mm long.

Distribution
Common in thickets at low altitudes.

Part utilized
Root.

Folkloric use
Roots, decocted or chewed is taken internally as cure for colic, dyspepsia and gastralgia.
For postpartum fevers and chills, a hand leaves are salted and oiled, then heated over embers and stroked over the entire body, from head to foot.

Availability
Wild-crafted.