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The medicinal or chemical properties have not been studied, but the presence of berberine-like quaternary alkaloids, as in ''Chasmanthera dependens'' Hochst., is likely.

Dioecious liana up to 30 m long; branches pendulous, finely grooved, hairy. Leaves alternate, simple, densely hairy; stipules absent; petiole 12–14 cm long; blade nearly round to broadly 5-angular, 10–16 cm × 10–22 cm, base cordate, apex acuminate or obtuse, margins recurved, thinly leathery, palmately 6–7-veined. Inflorescence a pendulous, axillary raceme or false raceme; male inflorescence a false raceme 30–60 cm long, composed of 3–5-flowered clusters; female inflorescence a raceme 15–22 cm long; bracts filiform, persistent. Flowers unisexual, regular; pedicel c. 2.5 mm long; sepals 6, 3 outer ones linear-lanceolate, up to 2 mm long, 3 inner ones obovate, c. 2.5 mm long, with a tuft of hairs at apex; petals 6, obovate, c. 1.5 mm × 1 mm, fleshy, glabrous, greenish yellow; male flowers with 6 stamens c. 1.5 mm long, filaments largely fused; female flowers with superior ovary consisting of 3, ovoid carpels united at apex by the recurved stigmas, staminodes 6, c. 1.2 mm long. Fruit composed of 3 ellipsoid and unequal-sided drupelets c. 1.2 cm × 1 cm, each drupelet 1-seeded. Seeds ovoid, c. 1 cm long, curved.

''Chasmanthera'' is closely related to ''Tinospora'' and ''Jateorhiza''; these genera have been combined in the past. ''Chasmanthera'' is an African genus which comprises two species: ''Chasmanthera welwitschii'' and ''Chasmanthera dependens''. The species appear to be ecologically different, although their areas of distribution overlap in the Central African Republic and intermediates have been found there. Further study is needed to decide if the 2 species should be combined into a single species.

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