A climber vine of several meters long, seldom bush of 2 m high with glabrous thornless branches. The leaves  have petioles of 1-5 cm long and an elliptic to lanceolate oval leaf blade of 3-9 cm long and 2-5 cm wide, glabrescent on the two faces.

The leaves are used in Rwandan traditional medicine  against poisoning. They are furthermore used as  an abortifacient agent. The roots are used as diaphoretic, the infusion is believed to act as a stimulant.