[3] Heinrich Gustav Adolf Engler and Ludwig Diels, the German botanists who first formally described the species, do not explicitly explain the specific epithet but it is among the smaller (minor in Latin)[4] members of the genus which includes species that reach heights of 30-40 meters.

The outer petals are yellow with red highlights, 1.9-2 by 1.1-1.5 centimeters, and have wavy margins.

Its fruit are 4.2 by 2.5 centimeters and pale green with yellow spots when developing and dark purple when dry.

Its shiny, light brown seeds are 1.4 by 1.1 by 0.65 centimeters, and triangular in cross-section.

[5] It has been observed growing in coastal regions in wet forests at elevations from 100 to 780 meters.