Maytenus acuminata (L.F.) Loes.

Shrub or tree (0.3–)1–20 m. high, erect or ± spreading, unarmed, glabrous, with latex threads in branches, leaves, flowers and fruits, very variable; branches ± markedly 4-lined when young, eventually terete and longitudinally striate.. Leaves not fasciculate, petiolate; lamina dark green and ± glossy above, paler beneath, ovate to narrowly lanceolate or rarely elliptic or elliptic-oblong, (1–)1.7–12.1(–13.5) × (0.5–)0.8–4.7 cm., acuminate and frequently mucronate to acute or rarely obtuse at the apex, with margin acutely glandular-denticulate to crenulate-denticulate or more rarely entire, cuneate or attenuate to rounded at the base, coriaceous to chartaceous, with lateral nerves and reticulate venation prominent beneath but not or scarcely so above; petiole (1–)2–7(–10) mm. long.. Cymes 0.3–3 cm. long, monochasial after 1st to 3rd branching or pseudumbellate to fasciculate, axillary, sessile (fasciculate) or with peduncle up to 21 mm. long; pedicels up to 13 mm. long or more rarely absent, articulated at the base or in the lower 2/5; flowers ± 2–20 in each cyme or solitary, 3–5(–6) mm. in diameter, bisexual.. Sepals 5, unequal, subcircular, rounded, 0.7–1.2 mm. long, with margin entire.. Petals 5, green or white or white tinged red to deep red, broadly obovate to subcircular, 1.5–2.5 mm. long, sessile or shortly clawed, with margin entire.. Stamens 5, much shorter than the petals, with filaments 0.1–0.2 mm. long, flattened, united with the outer margin of the disc.. Disc 5-angled, concave, with very short free margin.. Ovary 3-locular, pyramidal, ± half-immersed in the disc; style absent; stigma slightly 3-lobed.. Capsule green or reddish-green to yellow or orange or red, 4–11 mm. long, 3-lobed (or globose to 2-lobed due to abortion), with lobes rounded, smooth, not fleshy.. Seeds 1–3, orange-brown to dark brown, completely enclosed by a thin orange aril.

It is a tropical plant.