This is a small to medium size evergreen tree that varies in height from 3-15 m, depending on the habitat it grows in. The taller trees can be found in evergreen forests. It can be single or multistemmed, and may branch at ground level. The bark is greyish, smooth and slightly scaly. The young twigs or branchlets are densely covered with russet-brown hairs.

The leaves are single, alternatively arranged, and often crowded at the end of branchlets. The young leaves are golden brown and can be found at the tips of the branchlets. The older leaves are glossy dark to blue-green above and covered with a whitish, transparent, waxy bloom that rubs off when touched. From afar it gives the tree a silvery look. The under surface is densely covered with silky golden brown to sometimes silvery hairs. The midrib is very prominent. The margin of the leaf is entire and tightly rolled under. The shape of the leaf is narrowly elliptic to oblanceolate with a rounded apex that sometimes can be notched. The base of the leaf is narrowly tapering, continuing into the rather stout petiole covered with russet-brown hairs.

The flowers are small, rather strongly unpleasantly scented, star-shaped and brownish pink in colour. They are clustered on new and old wood, a few to many flowers per cluster. These trees flower from June to December and sometimes flowers and fruits can be found on the plant at the same time.

The fruit is a berry, ellipsoid to sometimes round, fleshy and contains sticky, milky latex. The fruit is densely crowded on the stems, branches and branchlets, hence the Afrikaans common name stamvrug referring to the fruit forming on the stem. The fruit is bright red when ripe and ripens from December to February. The edible fruit according to Van Wyk et al. (2000) has a Vitamin C content of 40mg per 100g.