Melodorum balansae Aug. Candolle, Bull. Herb. Boissier, sér. 2, 4: 1070. 1904; Fissistigma guinanense Y. Wan.

Climbers to 6 m tall. Branchlets densely fulvous pubescent when young, glabrescent. Petiole 0.8-2 cm, robust, abaxially grooved, densely brown pubescent; leaf blade oblong, oblong-elliptic, or obovate-oblong, 14-23 × 5-10 cm, thinly leathery, abaxially brown pubescent, adaxially sparsely appressed puberulent or puberulent only on midvein and secondary veins, secondary veins 25-35 on each side of midvein and adaxially flat to impressed when dry, reticulate veins prominent and at ca. 90° to secondary veins, base rounded to broadly cuneate, margin revolute, apex acute, obtuse, or retuse. Inflorescences leaf-opposed, terminal, or extra-axillary, in glomerules, many flowered, fulvous tomentulose; peduncle to 1 cm; bracts ovate, 3.5-5 × 2-3 mm, adaxially tomentulose. Flowers fragrant. Stigma apex entire. Fruiting pedicel ca. 2.5 cm, pubescent; monocarp stipes 1.5-2 cm, densely fulvous tomentulose; monocarps subglobose, ca. 4.4 × 4 cm, sparsely fulvous hispid and with slightly raised tubercles. Seeds brown, oblong, ca. 2.4 × 1.7 cm, with a winged margin. Fl. Mar-May, fr. May-Sep.

Forested slopes; 500-1200 m. SW Guangxi, SE Yunnan [Vietnam].