[1] Adolph Daniel Edward Elmer, the American botanist who first formally described the species, named it after its clawed (unguiculatus in Latin) inner petals.

Its hairless to slightly hairy petioles are 4-10 by 0.8-2 millimeters with a broad groove on their upper side.

Its solitary or paired Inflorescences occur on branches, and are organized on indistinct peduncles.

The pedicels have a medial, very densely hairy bract that is up to 0.5-1 millimeter long.

The green to pale yellow, circular to elliptical, outer petals are 1–2.5 by 1–2.5 millimeters with nearly hairless upper and very densely hairy lower surfaces.

The inner petals have heart-shaped to flat bases and tapering to pointed tips.

[7] It has been observed growing in dry loose soil in dense forests on steep ravines at elevations of 80–500 meters.