Melicope makahae, a member of the Rutaceae (rue) family, is a shrub or shrubby tree up to 3 m (10 ft) tall, with new growth and young branches densely hairy. The opposite leaves are leathery, narrowly ovate, 9.5 to 12 cm (4 to 5 in) long and 1.5 to 5 cm (0.6 to 2 in) wide, with leaf margins usually very slightly in-rolled. One to seven sparsely to densely grayish-haired male or female flowers occur in cymes. Fruit are dark green, 10 to 15 mm (0.4 to 0.6 in) long, 20 to 24 mm (0.8 to 1 in) wide, and glabrous (smooth). Seeds are two per follicle, about 5 mm (0.2 in) long.