[2] Suzanne Jovet-Ast, the French botanist who first formally described the species, named it after its pale (pallens in Latin) flowers.

The leaves are smooth and shiny on their upper surfaces, while their undersides are slightly hairy.

Its flowers are arranged in groups of 3 or fewer on a woody rachis positioned opposite leaves.

The white to cream-colored, lance-shaped to oblong, outer petals are 12.5 by 6 millimeters, and come to a point at their tip.

Its fruit occur in clusters of up to 5-7 on woody pedicels that are 6-16 by 2.2-2.4 millimeters and covered in sparse, fine hairs.

The smooth, hairy, dull grayish-green, round to oblong fruit are 13-19 by 6.5-13 millimeters.