Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Lianas with tuberous rhizomes.

Stems: Stems finely grooved, smooth or sparsely to densely prickly, the prickles short–conical.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate. Blades variable in shape, usually cordate to broadly ovate, occasionally suborbicular or oblong–ovate to lanceolate, (5–)7–18 cm long, (3.3–)4–18.4 cm wide. Apex abruptly acuminate to cuspidate, rarely rounded or retuse. Base cordate to occasionally subcordate. Surfaces glossy, glabrous; blades coriaceous. Margins entire. 5–17 principal veins, these sometimes with prickles on lower surface, venation conspicuously reticulate, at least on lower surface. Petioles twisted and usually strongly curved, 1.1–3 cm long, with a pair of tendrils arising ca. ¾ from base, petiole slightly winged below tendrils. Stipules absent but with tendril often interpreted as stipules.

Flowers: Flowers ca. 10–20 per umbel, arising in the axils of the upper leaves, peduncles compressed, 14–30 mm long, each with an ovate bract 4–8 mm long, pedicels 6–15 mm long, each one with an ovate bracteole ca. 2 mm long at base. Flowers unisexual. Perianth of 6 tepals, in 2 series; tepals pale green to greenish white, oblong–elliptic to oblong–oblanceolate, 8–12 mm long; staminate flowers with spreading tepals. Stamens in staminate flowers (6–)12–18(–20), slightly exceeding the tepals; anthers linear, becoming curved or twisted, rudimentary ovary absent; pistillate flowers with revolute tepals, staminodes 6. Ovary superior, 3-angled; ovules (1)2 per cell, pendulous.

Fruit: Berries globose; ca. 10–12 mm in diameter.

Ploidy:

Habitat: Occurring in mesic to wet forest and margins of bogs.

Elevation Range: 180–2,080 m.