Stems mostly 0.5–2(–4) m. long, generally from a single attachment, but sometimes scandent with numerous secondary haustoria, hairless but sometimes with papillae on youngest parts and umbels. Leaves opposite, subopposite or ternate, penninerved but second–fourth(–fifth) main lateral nerves often closer, stronger and more ascending. Flowers 2–20 in umbels (often with 1–2 aborted flowers on the peduncle), 5-merous; bracts at the base of peduncle and pedicels small, triangular; flower bract obliquely cupular, with a short triangular or bifid limb, sometimes gibbous or spurred. Calyx cupular or flared, subentire, 0.3–2 mm. long, normally ciliolate. Corolla pink or red, sometimes white to green on upper or lower part, the apical swelling often darkening as bud ripens, 2–4.5 cm. long, with pronounced apical (sometimes winged) and basal swellings, splitting unilaterally more than halfway, the lobes coiled outwards. Stamens involute; anthers emarginate, with a distinct connective, and the outer pair of thecae shorter and sometimes set lower. Style skittle-shaped above; stigma turbinate to peltate. Berry red to yellow, depressed-globose to ellipsoid; seed also brightly coloured, similar to Tapinanthus .