Melodorum polyanthoides Aug. Candolle, Bull. Herb. Boissier, sér. 2, 4: 1070. 1904; Fissistigma minuticalyx (R. W. MacGregor & W. W. Smith) Chatterjee; M. minuticalyx R. W. MacGregor & W. W. Smith.

Climbers to 10 m tall. Branches fulvous pubescent when young, glabrous and lenticellate with age. Petiole 1-1.3 cm, fulvous tomentose; leaf blade oblong, oblong-lanceolate, or sometimes obovate-oblong, 10-23 × 4-10 cm, leathery, abaxially fulvous tomentose, adaxially pubescent or glabrous, secondary veins 14-20 on each side of midvein, obliquely ascending to margin, and adaxially flat, base rounded, apex acute to shortly acuminate. Inflorescences leaf-opposed, subopposed, or sometimes terminal, pseudo-cymose, densely red fulvous tomentulose; peduncle ca. 3 mm; bracts ovate, ca. 1.5 mm, abaxially reddish fulvous tomentulose. Pedicel 1-1.5 cm, 1- or 2-bracteolate above middle. Flower buds conic. Sepals broadly triangular, ca. 3 × 3.5 mm, basally connate, outside tomentose, inside pubescent. Outer petals ovate-triangular, ca. 1.2 × 0.9 cm, outside red fulvous tomentose, inside apically puberulent; inner petals ovate-lanceolate, ca. 10 × 6 mm, outside pubescent, inside glabrous. Stamens oblong-cuneate, ca. 1.5 mm; connectives broadly 3-angular. Carpels ca. 10, sericeous pubescent; stigma apex 2-cleft. Fruiting pedicel ca. 2 cm; monocarp stipes to 4 cm; monocarps globose, ca. 2 cm in diam., densely red fulvous tomentose. Seeds reddish brown, oblong, ca. 1.5 × 0.6 cm. Fl. May-Nov, fr. Aug-Mar.

Densely forested slopes; 500-1600 m. Guizhou, C and S Yunnan [Laos, Myanmar, N Thailand, Vietnam].