[2] Heinrich Gustav Adolf Engler, the German botanist who first formally described the species, named it after its curled (crispatus in Latin) petal margins.

Its hairless, dark green, membranous to leathery, oval to elliptical leaves are 5-17 by 2.5-6 centimeters.

The outer petals are white at their base, transitioning to yellow with red-brown highlights near their tips.

The outer petals have flat bases, tapering tips and strikingly curled margins for which the species is named.

The heart-shaped to triangular inner petals are 4-17 by 6-20 millimeters and white to yellow with red highlights near the margins.

The fruit have white pulp with elliptical, smooth, light brown seeds that are 10-13 by 5-9 millimeters.

[7] Monodora crispata is a monecious plant meaning that it has both female and male reproductive parts on the same individual[8].

[5] It has been observed growing in sandy soils in secondary rain forests and along streams, at elevations from 0-400 meters.

[5]There is emerging research about the leaf composition of this tree and other members of the Monodora group.

[9] Many close relatives have been researched and found to have medicinal properties, but Monodora Crispata doesn't have many chemicals isolated from it yet.