Cissampelos hirsuta Buchanan-Hamilton ex Candolle, Syst. Nat. 1: 535. 1817.

Woody vines. Branches slender, striate, usually densely pubescent, rarely subglabrous. Petioles shorter than leaf blade, often densely pubescent; leaf blade cordate-rotund or rotund, 2-5(-12) cm long and wide, papery, abaxially densely pubescent, adaxially sparsely pubescent, base often cordate, sometimes subtruncate, rarely slightly rounded, apex often emarginate, with a mucronate acumen, palmately 5-7-veined, slightly prominent abaxially. Male inflorescences axillary, solitary or few fascicled, corymbose cymes, pubescent. Male flowers: sepals 1.2-1.5 mm, pilose outside; corolla cupuliform; synandrium ca. 0.7 mm. Female inflorescences thyrsoid, narrow, up to 18 cm, usually less than 10 cm; bracts foliaceous and suborbicular, overlapping along rachis, densely pubescent. Female flowers: sepals broadly obovate, ca. 1.5 mm; petals minute, ca. 0.7 mm. Drupes pubescent; endocarp broadly obovate, 3-5 mm, abaxially bearing 2 rows of transverse ridges on both surfaces of rib; condyle bordered by a horseshoe-shaped ridge.

Cissampelos pareira var. pareira, with glabrous leaves, was described from the West Indies and seems to be restricted to that region, whereas var. hirsuta is pantropical.

Forests. NW Guangxi, SW Guizhou, S Yunnan [pantropical].