Extensive, climbing, annual herb; stems twinning, more or less pubescent; tendril 2-3 fid; leaves cordate or subreniform, usually 5-lobed or 5-angular, lobes half way down, obtuse or acute, denticulate, fimbriate, puberulous on both surfaces; male flowered penducles in pairs, earlier one with solitary flower, other with 8-15 flowered racemes, sometimes at the place of earlier one, found a female flower; pedicels long; calyx tube long, dilated at apex, attenuate, subcylindric, mouth shortly campanulate, teeth-5, short; petals-5, connate at the base, very long, fimbriate; stamens-3, anthers oblong exserted, connate, linear, one 1-celled, two 2-celled, cells conduplicate, filaments very short ovoid; female flowers solitary on long peduncles, calyx and corolla as in male flowers; ovary globose or oblong,, 1-celled, style long, filiform, stigmas-3, oblong, bifid, exserted, placentas-3, parietal, ovules numerous, half pendulous; fruits ovoid-fusiform, glaucous streaked with white, turning to yellow or scarlet when ripe, pointed towards both ends; seeds ovate-oblong, corrugate, embedded in red pulp.