Herbs, scandent, softly pubescent. Tendrils 2-fid. Petiole apex 2-glandular; leaf blade ovate-cordate or reniform. Plants dioecious or monoecious; flowers solitary or male flowers in racemes, white. Male flowers: pedicels elongate; calyx tube narrowly campanulate or funnelform; segments 5; corolla segments 5, oblong-obovate, apex retuse; stamens 3; filaments free; anthers included, slightly coalescent or free, oblong, one 1-celled, others 2-celled; anther cells sigmoid-flexuous; connective not produced; pistillode glandular. Female flowers: pedicels short; calyx tube cupular; calyx and corolla as in male flowers; ovary ovoid or cylindric; ovules numerous, horizontal; placentas 3; styles short; stigmas 3, 2-lobed. Fruit polymorphic, indehiscent, fleshy, woody when mature. Seeds numerous, obovate, compressed, distinctly marginate.

Six species: mainly distributed in tropical Africa; one species (introduced) in China.

(Authors: Lu Anmin (路安民 Lu An-ming); Charles Jeffrey)