Large, glabrous, climber; tubers large, solitary, globose or pyriform; stem slender, green or purple, often with axillary bulbils; leaves simple, alternate, broadly ovate-cordate, sometimes with shallow broad sinus, membranous, glabrous; petioles 5-15 cm long; male spikes on slender, long, leafless branches in axillary pendulous panicles; flowers crowded or scattered, very variable in size, green or purple; sepals small, ovate, fleshy; petals narrower; stamens 6, inserted at the base of perianth, anthers minute, globose, filaments incurved, much shorter than perianth; pistillode various or absent; female spikes solitary or fascicled, pendulous on 10-30 cm long, leafless branches; flowers small; perianth as in males; ovary 3-celled, ovules-2 in each locule, styles-3, very short, stigmas entire or bifid, recurved; fruit berry or 3-valved capsules, oblong, membranous, slightly widened upwards, wings large, rounded; seeds broadly winged at base.