Arthrostemma ciliatum is a scandent perennial herb with succulent stems, 1–4 meters long, and either glabrous or glandular pilose. The leaves are simple, opposite, and decussate. The blades are ovate to ovate-lanceolate, measuring 2.5–4.3 cm long and 1.4–4.5 cm wide. The leaf apex is acute to long-acuminate, and the base is truncate to subcordate. The upper leaf surfaces are sparsely bristly, while the lower surfaces range from glabrous to glandular bristly. The leaf margins are ciliolate-serrulate, with 3–7 veins. The petioles are 0.6–3.2 cm long, and stipules are absent. The flowers are few in terminal cymes, each subtended by deciduous, sessile bracteoles. The pedicels are 7–15(–19) mm long in fruit. The flowers are bisexual (perfect), with a hypanthium that measures 7–10 mm long in flower and becomes oblong-ellipsoid, 15–20 mm long, and 8–9 mm wide in fruit. The calyx has four persistent deltate lobes, 1–3.5 mm long in fruit and 2–3.5 mm wide at the base, with 1–2 subapical glandular hairs. The corolla comprises four early-deciduous, obliquely apiculate petals, 2–3 cm long and 1.1–1.6 cm wide. There are eight markedly dimorphic stamens. The larger stamens have anthers about 6 mm long, with ventral bifid spurs at the base, while the smaller stamens have 5mm long anthers. The ovary is inferior, 4-celled, and glandular puberulent at the apex. The fruit is a capsule enclosed by the accrescent hypanthium at maturity. The seeds are about 1 mm long, cochleate (spiral-shaped), prominently ribbed, and have a terminal hilum. It is found in mesic to wet areas, often open to partially shaded disturbed locations such as roadsides, trailsides, and mixed native/alien forests between 10–360 meters.