[2] Ludwig Diels, the botanist who first formally described the species under the basionym Orophea silvestris, named it after the forested (silvestris in Latin) habitat the specimens he examined were found growing in near the Waria River.

Its elliptical to oval or egg-shaped, papery to slightly leathery leaves are 11–24.5 by 2–7 centimeters.

Its petioles, if present, are densely hairy, 1–4 by 1–3 millimeters with a broad groove on their upper side.

Its solitary Inflorescences occur on branches, and are organized on very densely hairy peduncles that are 10–18 by 0.1–0.5 millimeters.

The dark purple to red, circular, outer petals are 0.7 by 0.9 millimeters with hairless upper and very densely hairy lower surfaces.

Each fruit has up to 5 hemispherical to lens-shaped seeds that are 8–9.5 by 5–8 by 3.5-5 millimeters, arranged in two rows.