[2] Carl Ludwig Blume, the German botanist who first formally described the species using the basionym Uvaria polypyrena, named it after the many stones or seeds (Latinized forms of Greek πολυ-, poly-, and πυρην, pyren) in its fruit.

Its oval to lance-shaped, leathery leaves are 8-22.5 by 3.5-9 centimeters and come to a point at their tips.

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

Its fruit occur in clusters of up to 9-12 on pedicels that are 19-34 by 3-5 millimeters and covered in sparse, fine hairs.

The fruit have a longitudinal ridge and are sparsely covered in fine brown hairs.

The fruit are attached to the pedicel by stipes that are 12-21 by 2.5-4 millimeters and sparsely covered in fine brown hairs.