The leathery, sessile, simple leaves are elliptical, ovate, linear or lanceolate and wedge-shaped at the base.

The leaf blade is dorsiventral, medium-sized to large and disposed oppositely or in a whorl and with entire margin.

The small, more or less fragrant flowers are white, yellow, pink or green and funnel-shaped, growing on a pedicel and subtended by bracts.

The ovary has 2 separate follicles with glabrous or ciliate, oblong seeds that develop into deep blue podlike, schizocarp fruit, between 7–40 cm long.

[2] The Alstonia macrophylla is commonly known in Sri Lanka as 'Havari nuga' or the 'wig banyan' because of its distinct flower that looks like a woman's long wig.