Much-branched, erect to spreading shrub, up to c. 2 m tall; branchlets glabrous to sparingly setose. Lvs opposite or subopposite, sessile or subsessile, sometimes ± amplexicaul. Lamina usually 2.5-6 × 1.5-3 cm, lanceolate-ovate, elliptic-ovate, broadly ovate, or suborbicular, thick, coriaceous, glabrous, crenate-serrate or serrulate; base cordate to subtruncate; apex subacute, mucronulate. Fls in terminal and subterminal oppositely branched racemes 5-10 cm long, forming broad panicles; pedicels to c. 5 mm long, glabrous; bracteoles ovate, c. 2.5 mm long. Calyx lobes ovate-triangular to ovate-oblong, sharply acute or acuminate, c. 1.5 mm long. Corolla urceolate; tube 2-3 mm long; lobes triangular-ovate. Capsule c. 3-4 mm diam., surrounded by dry calyx.
A shrub. It can be 2 m high. It is much branched. The leaves are larger than other Gaultheria. The flowers are white. They look like lily-of-the-valley.