Xylosma crenatum is a dioecious (plant bears only male or female flowers, and must cross-pollinate with another plant to produce viable seed) long-lived perennial tree in the flacourtia family (Flacourtiaceae), growing up to 14 m (46 ft) tall, and with dark gray bark. The somewhat leathery leaves are oval to elliptic-oval, about 10 to 20 cm (4 to 8 in) long and 6.5 to 10.0 cm (2.5 to 4.0 in) wide, with coarsely toothed edges and moderately hairy undersides. The female flowers (male flowers have not been described) occur in clusters of 3 to 11 per leaf axil. The four oval sepals are about 2.5 mm (0.1 in) long; petals are absent. The young berries are oval to elliptic-oval and about 7.0 mm (0.3 in) long (mature fruits have not been seen).