Its flowers are pale pink and tubular, and have nectar guides and purple spots. Fruits become blackened when ripe and have hooked spines at the tip, lending its name "cat's claw" or "tiger's claw". They stick to animal fur and eventually the seeds fall out as the fruit gets crushed by the animal's feet.
ovate, mucilaginous leaves  wide and  long. The leaves are opposite, and have red petioles. They resemble sticky rhubarb.