It is a bush reaching 3 meters in height. Its membranous leaves are variable in size, but generally 15 by 4 centimeters. The tips of the leaves come to a point that curves backwards. The leaves are paler on their lower surface which has brown hairs. The leaves have 9-13 pairs of secondary veins emanating from their midribs. Its bristly petioles are 5-25 millimeters long. Inflorescences are pendulous and are axillary or emerge beneath leaves. The inflorescences are organized as panicles of about 6 flowers on a 3-5 centimeter long peduncle. Its flowers have male and female reproductive structures. Its flowers have 5 oblong sepals that are 5 millimeters in length, and fused at their base. The sepals have patch of 3 millimeter long hairs in the middle of their outer surface. Its white corolla is 7 millimeters long and united at its base. Its flowers have up to 18 stamens with 2.56 millimeters long filaments and anthers that are yellow and 2 by 0.75 millimeters. Its flowers have 3 smooth styles that are 3 millimeters long and united at their base. Its fertilized ovaries smooth on the outside, with three hairy chambers that contain clusters of seeds.[3]
The pollen of Saurauia merrillii is shed as permanent tetrads.[4]
