Vines climbing. Stem branched, terete, 1--2 m, woody; branches densely verruculose, sparsely prickly. Petiole 1.5--2 cm, scarcely winged; abscission zone distal; tendrils usually present near base. Leaf blade suborbicular, 4.5--7 × 4--6.5 cm, thickly leathery, main veins 5, raised on both sides except midvein concave adaxially, base rounded, apex mucronate.

This species is closely related to Smilax lunglingensis which has similar inflorescences and flowers. Only sterile material of S. bauhinioides has so far been collected in China; it clearly matches material of the same species from Vietnam.

Pinus forests; ca. 300 m. S Guangxi (Dongxing Xian) [Vietnam].