Smilacina formosana Hayata, Icon. Pl. Formos. 9: 141. 1920; S. nokomonticola Yamamoto.

Plants 15--35 cm tall. Rhizome creeping, subterete, 2--7 mm thick, sometimes with swollen nodes. Stem hirsute distally, ± zigzagged. Leaves subsessile or shortly petiolate; leaf blade oblong, oblong-ovate, or lanceolate, 3.5--12 × 2--5 cm, papery, sometimes slightly pubescent on veins. Inflorescence usually a panicle, 4--5 cm; rachis hirsute. Flowers solitary; pedicel ca. 2 mm, hirsute. Perianth white; segments ± connate at base, oblong or oblanceolate, 3--4 × 1--2 mm. Filaments 1.5--2 mm; anthers small. Style very short, ca. 0.5 mm, ca. 1/2 as long as ovary; stigma slightly 3-lobed. Fl. Jun--Aug. 2 n = 36*.

* Forests, wet shaded places; 2000--3700 m. Taiwan.