Smilax biflora Siebold ex Miquel var. trinervula (Miquel) Hatusima ex T. Koyama; S. china Linnaeus var. trinervula (Miquel) Makino; S. esquirolii H. Léveillé; S. leucocarpa H. Léveillé & Vaniot.

Subshrubs suberect or slightly climbing, deciduous. Stem branched, 0.5--2 m, unarmed or sparsely prickly. Petiole 3--5 mm, narrowly winged for ca. 2/3 its length; abscission zone just above winged portion; tendrils usually present. Leaf blade abaxially glaucous, usually elliptic, 2--5 × 1--2.5 cm, papery. Inflorescence borne in axil of young leaf on new branchlets, of 1 umbel or raceme, basally not prophyllate; peduncle 3--7 mm; umbel 1--5-flowered, base not thickened. Male flowers: tepals yellowish green, ca. 4 × 0.8--1.5 mm. Female flowers: tepals ca. 4 mm; staminodes 6. Berries red, globose, 5--6 mm in diam. Fl. Mar--Apr, fr. Oct--Nov.

Forests, thickets; 400--1700 m. Fujian, Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang [Japan].