An evergreen climber. Spiny hooks up to 1 cm long, slightly curved. Leaves 4-10 x 1.7-5 cm, ovate to cordate, upper ovate acuminate, acute or shortly acuminate, sparsely pubescent; petiole 0.3-1 cm long. Bracts 3, 3.5-4 mm long, ovate, acuminate, nerved, magenta coloured. Flowers 3, c. 2 cm long; sepals 5, acute, c. 2.5 mm long, tip villous, yellow above, lilac beneath, alternating with 5 irregular and adnate yellow lobed appendages. Pedicel subsessile, c. 3.5 mm long, adnate to the bract. Filament 8-13 mm long, unequal, inserted. Ovary 2 mm long, more or less elongated. Style 1 mm long, stigma 2.5 mm long, plumose.

Distribution: A native of Brazil, widely cultivated in the tropics and subtropics.

A floriferous climber, commonly cultivated as an ornamental in the plains; also grown as dwarf pot plants. Seed formation is rare. Flowers throughout the year.