Stems annual, arising from tuberous subterranean rootstock, prostrate or scandent, glabrous. Leaf-lamina 3–9 × 4–13 cm., sessile, ± amplexicaul, broadly ovate in outline, cordate, ± glaucous, glabrous, smooth or sparsely to densely± strongly scabrid-punctate, deeply palmately 3–5-lobed, the lobes elliptic to lanceolate, entire to coarsely and usually sharply sinuate-dentate or lobulate, sometimes deeply and narrowly so, acute, apiculate. Tendrils simple. Probracts 1·5–3·5 mm. long, small, narrow. male flowers solitary or in sessile or up to 3·5 cm. pedunculate clusters or racemes, when pedunculate usually bracteate and with a co-axillary solitary flower; pedicels of solitary and clustered flowers 0·8–7·5 cm. long, of racemose flowers 1–2 cm. long; bracts small, 1·5–3 mm. long, lanceolate or spathulate. Receptacle-tube 4–5·5 mm. long, campanulate, glabrous; lobes 3·5–5 mm. long, lanceolate, acute. Corolla pale yellow, sometimes with pinkish tinge, green-veined, the lobes 2–3 × 1–1·5 cm., united to above the middle. female flowers solitary; pedicels 0·7–1·5 cm. long, stout; ovary c. 15–18 × 3·5 mm., cylindrical or ellipsoid-rostrate, glabrous; receptacle-tube 3 mm. long, narrowly campanulate, lobes 3–4·5 mm. long, lanceolate; corolla similar to that of male flowers. Fruit 5·5–10·5 × 2–2·5 cm., ellipsoid-fusiform or ellipsoid-cylindrical, often shortly rostrate, bright red; fruit-stalk 0·7–1·5 cm. long, stout, expanded upwards. Seeds 6·5–7 × 3–3·5 × 1·4 mm., asymmetrically ovate in outline, compressed; testa minutely rugulose.
