Stem angular-sulcate, densely pubescent at nodes. Leaves papery, 3-foliolate, both surfaces hispidulous; petiole 3-6.5 cm, densely pubescent; median leaflet rhombic, (6-)8-12 × 3-5.5 cm, base broadly cuneate, margin crenate, apex shortly acuminate; lateral leaflets 4-9 × ca. 4 cm, outside subovate, base rounded, inside sublanceolate or oblanceolate, base attenuate, lateral veins 8 or 9; median petiolule 5-6 mm; lateral leaflets subsessile. Tendrils 2-fid. Male flowers in panicle; calyx segments oblong, ca. 0.75 × 0.3 mm, apex obtuse; corolla green; segments ± elliptic, apex acute or shortly acuminate; stamens ca. 1 mm, glabrous. Female flowers unknown. Fruit green, baccate, globose, 5-10 mm in diam., glabrous, 3-seeded. Seeds pale brown, broadly ovate, ca. 3(-5) × 3 mm, ca. 2 mm thick, compressed, both surfaces papillate, base subrounded, edges with furrow.

One of us (Jeffrey) considers this species and its varieties, the names of which have never been validly published, to represent densely hairy variants of Gynostemma pentaphyllum. The name G. "burmanicum" was not validly published by Chakravarty (loc. cit.) because no Latin description or diagnosis was provided (Vienna Code, Art. 36.1); as a result, the name G. "burmanicum var. molle" was not validly published either (Art. 43.1). A subsequent publication of the species name (Chakravarty, Rec. Bot. Surv. India 17(1): 190. 1959) again failed to provide a Latin description or diagnosis and did not indicate a type.

Open forests or thickets, forests in mountain valleys; 600-1300 m. S and SE Yunnan [Myanmar, Thailand].