Motandra guineensis grows as a climbing shrub or liana up to 40 metres (130 ft) long, with a stem diameter of up to 10 centimetres (3.9 in). Its fragrant flowers feature a white to greenish white corolla. Fruit is dark green with paired follicles, each up to 18 centimetres (7.1 in) long. M. guineensis is found in a variety of habitats from sea-level to 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) altitude. Local medicinal uses include as a treatment for eye infections, toothache, headache and postpartum stomach pain. The plant is found in Guinea, Mali, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Sudan, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Gabon, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Uganda and Angola.