The tuber is ellipsoid-ovoid, up to 0.6 x 0.25 m, buried up to 60 cm below ground level and sending up gnarled, fibrous stems, 10-30 mm in diameter.
The stems are herbaceous, annual, ± 5-angled and 5-furrowed, prostrate or climbing, ± hairy, up to 1.5 m long.
The leaves are up to 60 mm long and broad, shallowly to very deeply 5-lobed, dark green, glabrous to shortly hairy and rough on both sides, with a leaf stalk up to 25 mm long. The bract at the base of leaf stalk is usually absent.
Tendrils are simple. Male flowers are solitary or in groups with flower stalks up to 50 mm long; receptacle tubular, 18-22 mm long; sepals minute; petals linear, 18-24 mm long, spreading, greenish yellow (citrine), often tinged with red/brown. Female flowers are solitary with flower stalks up to 25 mm long; ovary is 6-8 mm long, separated by a constriction from the 10-15 mm long receptacle; sepals and petals as in male flowers. The fruit is ellipsoid-oblong, 30-40 x 20-30 mm, glossy, bright orange or red, with ovoid seeds, 8-10 mm long, white, usually smooth, hard, enclosed in white jelly, ± 10 per fruit.