Description:
The plant is a small, creeping or epiphytic vine, highly branched and possessing adventitious roots. Leaves are palmately compound, composed of 5-7 oval leaflets, each 7-15 cm long with entire margins and prominent venation. The petiolules (stalks of the leaflets) are 1-2 cm long; the common petiole (leaf stalk) is 10-12 cm long. Stipules are fused into a tube and are quickly deciduous (fall off). The inflorescence (flower cluster) is equal to or shorter than the leaves. Flowers are small, 2.5 mm wide; there are 5 petals and 5 stamens. The ovary is 5-locular (has five compartments). The fruit is a ridged drupe (fleshy fruit with a single seed), 3-4 mm in size.
Distribution:
The species is native to India, Southern China, and Indochina. In Vietnam, it is found in Kontum, Gia Lai, Lam Dong, Quang Nam, and Ninh Thuan provinces. It grows wild in forests, typically clinging to large trees and climbing high.
Uses:
The plant is cultivated as an ornamental in many locations. The bark and roots are used in traditional medicine to improve digestion, promote sleep, aid in weight gain, and darken hair. (Nguyen Dinh Ly et al., 1993).
In Yunnan (China), the stem bark is used as a medicine to treat injuries from falls, rheumatic bone and joint pain, and stomach and duodenal ulcers; the leaves are used externally for external bleeding injuries.