The plants are lianas that climb with tendrils and have palmately compound leaves.

Species of this genus are notable as being the sole hosts of parasitic plants in the family Rafflesiaceae, one of which, Rafflesia arnoldii, produces the largest single flower in the world.

[4] Within the Vitaceae, Tetrastigma has long been considered closely related to Cayratia and Cyphostemma[5] and is now placed in the tribe Cayratieae.

A fossil seed fragment from the early Miocene of Tetrastigma sp., has been found in the Czech part of the Zittau Basin.

[6] Tetrastigma macrofossils have been recovered from the late Zanclean stage of Pliocene sites in Pocapaglia, Italy.