Stenogyne kaalae subsp. sherffii, a member of the Lamiaceae (mint) family, is a scandent vine, climbing or sprawling and rooting at the nodes; stems 2.5 to 6 m (8 to 20 ft) long (in cultivation), quadrangular, and glabrous (smooth). Leaves are glossy, coriaceous (leathery), lance-shaped, the blades 8 to 12 cm (3 to 4.7 in) long, 2 to 3.5 cm (0.8 to 1.4 in) wide, with forward-pointing hairs along the central leaf vein, otherwise glabrous, margins inconspicuously serrulate (toothed), and petioles (leaf stems) are 1 to 2 cm (0.4 to 0.8 in) long. Flowers are typically in whorls of six, flower stalks 2 to 5 mm (0.08 to 0.2 in) long, with forward-pointing hairs. Flower sepals are nearly radially symmetrical, narrowly bell-shaped, 9 to 15 mm (0.4 to 0.6 in) long, green or tinged purple, glabrous, the teeth linear-lanceolate, 5 to 8 mm (0.2 to 0.3 in) long; corolla very dark maroon, with small forward-facing hairs, the margins and inner surfaces glandular puberulent (small haired), the tube 11 to 12 mm (0.4 to 0.5 in) long and mostly straight, and curved slightly at the throat. Nutlets are 4 mm (0.2 in) long, fleshy, and dark purple. This subspecies differs from S. kaalae in its more robust habit, wiry stems, and larger, darker leaves. Leaves are more pointed at the base (never heart-shaped) and are more shallowly toothed.