Platydesma cornuta var. cornuta, a member of the Rutaceae (rue) family, is an erect palmoid shrub 1 to 7 m (3.2 to 23 ft) tall, with few branched branches leafy toward the apex and glabrous except for new growth and young inflorescences. Leaves are narrowly obovate to oblong-spatulate, 12 to 40 cm (5 to 16 in) long, and 5 to 13 cm (2 to 5 in) wide, lateral veins connected by a deeply arched vein. Petioles are 2 to 10 mm (0.08 to 0.4 in) long. Flowers occur 3 to 15 in axillary cymes (terminal flowers bloom first) with hairy bracts when young, petals are 9 to 16 mm (0.35 to 0.6 in) long. Carpels are connate initially and later diverge as the fruit mature, 16 to 33 mm (0.6 to 1.3 in) in diameter and 10 to 16 mm (0.4 to 0.6 in) long, with a short beak. There are eight seeds per carpel. The new combination for this variety is Melicope cornuta var. cornuta in the most recent taxonomic treatment in the checklist of Hawaiian flora.