The forest poison-rope, or formally Strophanthus speciosus (SA Tree List No. 649.6), is a scrambling shrub or small tree that will reach evergreen forest canopies at 20 m high. It grows in the eastern parts of South Africa from the Eastern Cape to Limpopo.

The elliptic leaves grow in whorls of three. They are glossy green above and leathery with neat rows of many lateral veins. The leaf margin is entire, the base and tip both taper. The yellow flower has a long corolla tube and long, narrow, tail-like corolla lobes, characteristic of the Strophanthus genus. There is a red patch at the base of each corolla lobe.

The fruit consists of paired slender follicles that turn brown and split open to release many seeds with tufts of hairs that assist in wind dispersal. The seeds and leaves contain poison used in preparing arrows for the hunt (Coates Palgrave, 2002).