A vigorous woody large vine with attractive glossy palmate leaves, new growth is red coloured. It bears umbels of yellow flowers in spring and summer, followed by blue-black berries, which though edible, can sometimes have an astringent aftertaste.

Cissus quadrangularis is a perennial plant of the grape family. It is commonly known as veldt grape, winged treebine or adamant creeper. The species is native to tropical Asia, the Arabian Peninsula and much of Africa.

Cissus verticillata (L.) Nicolson and C.E. Jarvis is best known for its hypoglycaemic and anti-lipemic action. In Brazilian ethnopharmacy it is called “plant-insulin” and used mostly against diabetes, as well as in abscesses, haemorrhage and epilepsy.