A shrub up to 6 m tall or liana up to 30 m long, with white latex; stem up to 12 cm in diameter; bark with small grooves, dark grey or brown; branches smooth, grey- or red-brown, branchlets hairy. Leaves opposite, simple and entire; stipules absent; petiole 1–5 mm long, hairy; blade obovate to oblong, 1.5–9.5 cm × 1–4.5 cm, base cuneate to rounded, apex acute to acuminate, glabrous on both sides, pinnately veined with 5–10 pairs of lateral veins. Inflorescence an axillary or terminal cyme, lax or congested, few- to many-flowered; peduncle 0.5–4.5 cm long, hairy. Flowers bisexual, regular, 5-merous, fragrant; pedicel 2.5–30 mm long; sepals free or nearly so, broadly ovate to oblong, 1–4 mm long, apex obtuse to acute, red-brown or greenish, minutely hairy; corolla tube cylindrical to cup-shaped, 3–5.5 mm long, minutely hairy, with tufts of hairs and distinct scales inside, white, pink or orange, lobes narrowly ovate or strap-shaped, 5–21 mm × 1–2 mm, apex acuminate, white or yellow, sometimes red striped, variably hairy outside, glabrous inside; stamens inserted near the base of the corolla tube, included, anthers almost sessile, forming a cone over the pistil head; ovary half-inferior, globose to cylindrical, consisting of 2 carpels connate at the very base, style 0.5–1.5 mm long, pistil head c. 1 mm long. Fruit consisting of 2 almost free, narrowly cylindrical follicles 30–45 cm × 0.5–1 cm, pendulous, hairy, many-seeded. Seeds narrowly ellipsoid, laterally compressed, 14–19 mm long, black, with a tuft of hairs 35–50 mm long at apex.

Stimulant and diuretic (decoction of leafy twigs or bark)

PROTAbase: Baissea multiflora

The root and bark decoctions are widely used to treat colic and stomach-ache without causing diarrhea, and to treat sterility in women. A decoction of the leafy twigs or bark is taken to treat diarrhea, rheumatism, arthritis, kidney problems, haemorrhoids, lumbago, oedema caused by deficiencies. Root powder in water is dripped into the eye to treat conjunctivitis or cataract and mixed with food or drink to treat appendicitis. It is also applied to snakebites. A few drops of the sap are given to children with fever. Ash of the plant is rubbed on the back to treat backache. The roots in decoction are taken to treat dry cough, and are used as a wash to treat gonorrhoea.