Boussingaultia cordifolia Tenore in Ann. Sci. Nat., Bot. sér. 3, 19: 355. 1853; B. gracilis Miers; B. gracilis f. pseudobaselloides Hauman; B. gracilis var. pseudobaselloides (Hauman) Bailey.

Vines twining, with thick, hardy rhizome. Leaves shortly petiolate; leaf blade ovate to subcordate, 2-6 × 0.5-5.5 cm, thinly fleshy, base rounded or cordate, apex acute, producing small axillary tubercles (bulbils). Racemes many flowered; rachis pendent, thin, 7-25 cm. Bracts not longer than pedicel, narrow, persistent. Pedicel 2-3 mm, receptacular tip cupular, flowers shed from here. Lower bracteoles broadly triangular, hyaline, apex acute, persistent; upper bracteoles greenish white, flattened, orbicular to broadly elliptic, shorter than perianth. Flowers ca. 5 mm in diam., fragrant. Perianth white, inflexed, patent in anthesis; segments ovate or oblong to elliptic, 3 × 2 mm, apex blunt. Stamens white; filaments reflexed at apex in bud, spreading in anthesis. Style white, split to 3 stigmatic arms, each with 1 club-shaped or broadly elliptic stigma. Utricle and seed not seen. Fl. Jun-Oct.

The plants are not known to produce seeds, but are propagated vegetatively by the axillary bulbils. The bulbils, leaves, and roots are used medicinally.

Cultivated. Beijing, Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, Jiangsu, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [native to South America].