A branched climber with bristles. The stem is slender and four angled. The leaves are rough, and arranged in whorl of four per node and oval to heart shaped with long leaf stalk. The leaves have 5-7 main nerves. The stipules are short living (leafy structures found at the nodal region). The flowers are very small, greenish white and arranged in branched cluster called dichasial cyme(forked flowering stalk, which bears specific number of flowers in each branch). The fruit is round fleshy drupe. When ripe is dark-purple. The roots have brownish red bark and gives red dye.

It can grow to 1.5 m in height. The evergreen leaves are 5–10 cm long and 2–3 cm broad, produced in whorls of 4-7 starlike around the central stem. It climbs with tiny hooks at the leaves and stems. The flowers are small (3–5 mm across), with five pale yellow petals, in dense racemes, and appear from June to August, followed by small (4–6 mm diameter) red to black berries. The roots can be over 1 m long, up to 12 mm thick.

Madder is a famous herb for blood detoxifying. Is root is extensively used in many skin disease medicines of Ayurveda. It is called as Indian Madder in English. It is used in many oral Ayurvedic medicines and in Ayurvedic oils for skin conditions as well.

Benefits : The plant is used both, internally as well as externally. The roots of Madder are used for medicinal purpose.