The stems of Bertilia hantamensis are longitudinally lined, some dull red-brown, others green or yellow-green.

Some of the stalkless, leathery leaves have lobes right at the base, partly surrounding the stem. The spaced, narrowly oblong leaf lobes have sunken midribs, not as wide as that found near the base of the leaf itself. The leaf margins are strongly curving down (Manning and Goldblatt, 1997).