Rigid, wiry, climbing shrub with armed, straggling branches, usually glabrescent; climbing with stipular recurved, hooked, spines about 3-5 mm; reddish brown tomentum on young parts; leaves shortly petioled, ovate or lanceolate, rarely obovate, 2-5 x 5 cm, coriaceous, shining above, pubescent beneath, base cuneate or obtuse, margin entire, apex acute; flowers large, showy 4-6 cm across, axillary on young shoots, solitary or 2-3 in pairs; pedicels slender, about 1 cm; sepals 4, outer pair orbicular or elliptic, about 1 cm, a little larger than inner pair; petals 4, oblong, white, turning to pink; stamens numerous, 3-4 cm long, white, turning to red; gynophore long; ovary oblong, pubescent; fruits 2-5 cm across, ellipsoid or ovoid, smooth, red when ripe; seeds many, globose, about 5 mm.