The trees have straight, smooth, grey bark or greyish-red boles, with reddish blaze and profuse white latex.

[3][4] The species was described by N. Sasidharan and W. Vink and named after N. Ravi, Professor of Botany, in Sree Narayana College, Quilon.

It lacks an acumen at the leaf tip unlike Palaquium bourdillonii, P. canaliculatum, P. ellipticum, P. laevifolium, P. pauciflorum, P. petiolare, P. polyanthum, and P. thwaitesii.

It has smaller leaves and fewer lateral nerves than P. grande and P. obovatum and a much shorter fruit stalk than in P. rubiginosum.

[4] The species is endemic to the Anamalai Hills of the southern Western Ghats mountain ranges in India.

It was reported to occur between 700 and 800 m elevation,[3] but recent surveys have recorded the species between 670 and 100 m above sea level in the Anamalai Hills.