Description: Herbaceous vines or woody-based climbers with stems, petioles and peduncles twining, glabrous or pubescent.
Leaves alternate or lowermost opposite, margins coarsely toothed to hastately lobed, palmately veined; long-petiolate.
Flowers solitary in axils of leaves; bracteoles absent. Sepals usually 5, fused only at base. Corolla 2-lipped; tube spurred at base; upper lip 2-lobed and recurved, lower 3-lobed and pointed forwards, the palate not closing the mouth. Stamens 4, didynamous; included in corolla. Stigma shortly 2-lobed.
Capsule globose, dehiscent by 2 irregular subapical openings; seeds numerous, with thick tubercles or ridges and a pale wing.
Distribution and occurrence: World: 10 species, tropical America. Australia: 1 species (naturalized).
Text by W. R. Barker & G. J. Harden
Taxon concept:
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