Vines climbing. Stem branched, to 10 m, woody, sometimes sparsely prickly. Petiole 0.7--2 cm, usually twisted, narrowly winged for 1/2--3/4 its length; abscission zone subapical; tendrils commonly present. Leaf blade usually becoming bronze-colored when dried, oblong to ovate-lanceolate, 7--12(--15) × 1.5--3.5(--5) cm. Inflorescence of 1 umbel, basally sometimes prophyllate; peduncle slender, 1.5--3.5 cm; umbels of both sexes 5--25-flowered, base scarcely thickened. Male flowers: tepals greenish white or pale green, 2--3 × ca. 1 mm; stamens ca. 1.5 mm. Female flowers: tepals 1.5--2 × ca. 0.8 mm; staminodes 3. Berries purplish black, globose, ca. 8 mm in diam. Fl. Apr--May, fr. Oct--Nov.

Forests, thickets, shaded places along valleys or streams; near sea level to 1500 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Vietnam].