Large, woody, perennial climbers; leaves opposite, variable in shape, ovate to elliptic or lanceolate, acute, tapering towards both ends, entire, undulate, scabrous; inflorescence many flowered, lax, racemes; bracts small; calyx 5-lobed, sepals blue-violet, elongate, oblong, tube short, membranous, fruiting calyx persistent, tough; corolla lobes-5, much shorter than calyx, broadly elliptic, puberulous, caducous; disk conspicuous; stamens 4, included, didynamous, inserted near the middle of corolla tube, filaments very short, anthers oblong or ovate; ovary 2-celled, subglobose or oblong, 2-ovuled, style terminal, stigma oblique, capitate; drupe enclosed by accrescent calyx, acting as wings; seeds without endosperm.