The main characters of Globulostylis are the few-flowered inflorescences with a pair of bracts at the apex of the peduncle and the style with a swelling in the lower half.

Endophytic bacteria are housed in the intercellular space of the leaf mesophyll tissue.

The bacteria are identified as Burkholderia, which is a genus that is also found in the leaves of other Rubiaceae species.

[2][3] hypothesis is that these endophytic bacteria provide chemical protection against insect herbivory.

[7] However, the combined analysis of both morphological and molecular data separates both genera.