Euphorbia multiformis var. multiformis is a shrub. The stems are glabrous to pilose or glabrate, ranging from 0.5 to 2(–3) meters in length, with flowering branches measuring 1 to 15 mm in diameter. The leaves are simple, opposite, and distichous, with elliptic to ovate or obovate blades measuring (9–)15–40(–65) mm long and (4–)7–15(–25) mm wide. Leaf apices are acute, and the bases are rounded and oblique. Surfaces range from glabrous to pilose at the basal margin, and the margins are entire. Petioles are 1 to 3 mm long and glabrous to pilose above. The stipules are acute-triangular, 0.5–1.5(–2) mm long, erose, and ciliate. The inflorescences are arranged in a cyathia, either solitary in the leaf axils or in cymes of 3–10 on shortened branches. Peduncles are 0.5 to 2 mm long and glabrous to pilose, and the gynophores are glabrous. The involucre is campanulate, 1.5–2.5 mm high and 1.5–3.5 mm wide, and ranges from glabrous to pilose or villous beneath the glands. There are four glands per cyathium, ranging from green to red or purple, and are glabrous to pilose below. The flowers are unisexual and highly reduced, with solitary pistillate flowers on a gynophore and staminate flowers grouped in five cymules. Male flowers consist of a single stamen with an articulation between the pedicel and filament, subtended by slender bracteoles. The ovary is superior, with red to yellow styles that are bifid to half or more of their length, measuring 0.3 to 1 mm and glabrous or pubescent. The fruit is a green to red capsule, 1.5 to 3 mm long, glabrous to slightly pilose along the sutures and glabrate overall. Gynophores are recurved and exserted 2 to 3 mm from the involucre, and are ± pilose. The seeds are gray to brown, approximately 2 mm long, and have a rugose surface. It occurs in open habitats, ranging from dry to wet forests between 200-500 meters.