They are trees or shrubs with variably-shaped leaves, zygomorphic, bisexual flowers, the floral tube opening on the lower side before separating into four parts, followed by fruit that is usually a narrow oblong or cylindrical follicle.

Plants in the genus Stenocarpus are trees or shrubs with leaves that may be simple, compound or lobed, depending on the species.

Four tepals form a flower tube that opens on the lower side at first before separating into four with a spherical end, there are four sessile anthers, the single carpel is stalked and the pollen presenter is an oblique, flattened disc.

[2][3][4][5] The genus Stenocarpus was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown in the Transactions of the Linnean Society of London.

[6][7] The name Stenocarpus means "narrow fruit", referring to the long follicles of most species.