Flagellaria indica is a climbing plant found in many of the tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World, India, Bangladesh, Southeast Asia, Polynesia, and Australia. A strong climber, it grows often up to 15 m tall, with thick cane-like stems exceeding 15 mm in diameter. Its leaves, without hairs, are 10 to 40 cm long, and 5 to 20 mm wide. A coiled apex of the leaf forms the holding part of the climbing plant. Fragrant white flowers form in panicles, 10 to 25 cm long. The fruit is an inedible, greenish-red drupe, 5 mm in diameter, usually with only one seed.