Pleiocarpa mutica grows as a shrub or small tree up to 7.5 metres (25 ft) tall, with a stem diameter of up to 5 centimetres (2.0 in). Its fragrant flowers feature a white corolla. Fruit is yellow to bright orange with paired follicles, each up to 2 centimetres (0.79 in) long. The plant is found in a variety of habitats from sea-level to 600 metres (2,000 ft) altitude. Local medicinal uses include as a treatment for stomach-ache, kidney diseases, malaria, jaundice and as a laxative. P. mutica is found in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Gabon and the Republic of Congo.