Vine, somewhat woody at base; stems terete, unarmed, persistently short-pilose or subtomentose. Petioles 1-3 cm long, densely pubescent; blades ovate to ovate-oblong, acute or apiculate at apex, cordate at base, 8-18 cm long, 3-9 cm wide, 7-veined at base, densely pubescent when young, persistently pubescent on underside of veins. Flowers greenish-white, in solitary axillary umbels (rarely in a short, branched series of umbels); peduncles, pedicels, and receptacles densely pubescent, the tepals glabrous except for tuft at apex; staminate umbels with peduncles 1-4 cm long; pedicels 3-4 mm long, inserted on a globose receptacle; tepals 6, narrowly oblong, ca 4 mm long, ca 1 mm wide; filaments 6, 2-3.5 mm long; anthers ca 1 mm long. Pistillate umbels with peduncles 1-3 cm long, usually longer than the subtending petiole; pedicels 3-5 mm long; perianth segments 6, lanceolate-oblong, ca 3 mm long and 1 mm wide; staminodia 3; styles 3. Fruit clusters ca 5 cm diam; berries globose, 5-10 mm diam, green to red and finally purplish-black at maturity; seeds 1-3, embedded in a fleshy matrix. Croat 6462.

Descripción: Plantas trepadoras o lianas con el tronco cilíndrico. Ramitas verdes, glabras o ligeramente cubiertas de pelos. Hojas simples y alternas, de 4.5-21 x 2.5-10 cm, ovadas a oblongas, con ápice agudo, bordes enteros y base cordada. Las hojas usualmente tienen pelos por el envés y presentan 7 nervaduras que salen a partir de la base, a veces solo son 3 nervaduras que salen de la base. Pecíolo de 0.5-2 cm de largo y con zarcillos saliendo de la base. Inflorescencias en umbelas axilares. Flores blancas o verde pálidas. Frutos en bayas, de 0.5-1.5 cm de largo, verdes, tornándose anaranjados al madurar.

Especies Parecidas: A menudo se confunde con LK smils1 Smilax spinosa LK2 , pero en S. spinosa las ramitas no tienen pelos y presentan espinas.