Small tree to 10 m high. Young stems and leaves glabrous or sparsely tomentose and becoming almost glabrous. Leaves opposite, decussate; lamina ovate to elliptic, 3–6.5 cm long, 1.7–3.2 cm wide, attenuate at base, slightly revolute margin, acute, sometimes slightly acuminate apex, coriaceous, glossy above; lateral veins distinct, c. 1–2 mm apart, with intermediate reticulate veins. Inflorescence cymose-corymbose, 6–12-flowered; axes and surface of hypanthia finely whitish appressed-tomentose. Hypanthium 4.5–6 mm long. Sepals triangular, c. 2.5 mm long, persistent. Petals obovate, 3.5–4 mm long. Filaments 15–20 mm long, bright red. Fruit 6–7 mm long, appressed-pubescent; valves slightly included or level with hypanthium rim.
Mostly near watercourses and in moist creek gullies in the area of the southern mountains, to c. 500 m altitude. The two endemic Metrosideros species on Lord Howe Island have ecological preferences, with M. nervulosa occupying drier, more exposed sites at higher elevations (c. 57–875 m) and M. sclerocarpa preferring wetter conditions close to streams at lower elevations (c. 10–481 m) (Osborne et al. 2020).
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