Philodendron squamicaule;Croat & Grayum is characterized by; beautiful red (less frequently white or green) petioles with very densely arranged trichomes. It is a hemiepiphytic; appressed-climbing aroid. Petioles are erect-spreading, terete to subterete, purplish to dark brown, surface densely scaly, flattened, with a sparse underlay of tubercules;; petiolar scales of two types, short purplish scales deltoid interspersed with much longer, spreading light green acicular scales. Blades ovate-triangular, thinly coriaceous to sub coriaceous, conspicuously bicolorous, short acuminate to acute at apex, sagittate-cordate at base, margins hyaline, upper surface medium to dark green, semi glossy to sometimes almost matte above, slightly paler, light to silvery-green, glossy to semi glossy below.
It is very sensitive to dry environments and underwatering.
form the Modern Latin genus name Philodendron (Schott, 1830), form Greek philodendron, neuter of philodendrons "loving trees," form philo- "loving" (see philo-) + dendron "tree" (form PIE *der-drew-, form root *deru- "to be firm, solid, steadfast," also forming words for "wood, tree"). The plant so called because it clings to trees.