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 subcoriaceous, conspicuously bicolorous, short acuminate to acute at apex, sagittate-cordate at base, margins hyaline, upper surface medium to dark green, semiglossy to sometimes almost matte above, slightly paler, light to silvery-green, glossy to semiglossy below.
It is very sensitive to dry environments and underwatering.
From the Modern Latin genus name Philodendron (Schott, 1830), from Greek philodendron, neuter of philodendros "loving trees," from philo- "loving" (see philo-) + dendron "tree" (from PIE *der-drew-, from root *deru- "to be firm, solid, steadfast," also forming words for "wood, tree"). The plant so called because it clings to trees.