Polyosma rhytophloia is a small evergreen tree growing up to 11 m (36 ft) high with a greenish/grey trunk measuring up to 15 cm (5.9 in) diameter.

[5]: 158 [6][7][8] The wrinkled-bark polyosma was first described by the Australian botanists Cyril Tenison White and William Douglas Francis, based on specimens collected near Eungella and on the Atherton Tableland.

[5]: 158  Bean & Forster argue that "The species epithet rhytophloia (meaning wrinkled bark) is derived from the Greek, and hence the correct connecting vowel is -o-".

The species epithet rhytophloia is created from the Ancient Greek words ῥυτίς (rhutís), "wrinkle", and φλόος (phlóos), "bark".

[7][8] This species is listed by both the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science as least concern.