Melicope christophersenii is a shrub or tree that reaches 3–6 m heights. The new growth is yellowish-brown and appressed hirtellous, while the branches and petioles become glabrate with maturity. The leaves are simple and opposite, with elliptic–ovate, broadly elliptic, elliptic–obovate, or suborbicular blades measuring 4.5–12 cm long and 2.5–8 cm wide. The apex is rounded and slightly emarginate, while the base is rounded or subtruncate. The upper surfaces are glabrate, sometimes with a few persistent hairs on the midrib, whereas the lower surfaces are either glabrate or very sparsely puberulent, with the midrib being moderately puberulent. The blades are coriaceous, with entire margins. Primary lateral veins are usually in 10–14 pairs, prominent on the lower surface, and connected by a moderately arched vein 2–5(–9) mm from the margin. The venation is pinnate, with higher-order veins forming a reticulate pattern. Petioles are stout and range from 10–42 mm in length. Stipules are absent. The flowers are arranged in cymes of 3–15 flowers, measuring 2–5 cm long. Peduncles are 5–15 mm long, sparsely puberulent toward the apex but becoming glabrate. Pedicels are 2–5 mm long and appressed puberulent. These flowers are functionally unisexual, with the plants being monoecious. The calyx consists of four sepals that are ovate in staminate flowers, 4–5 mm long, densely puberulent, and imbricate. The corolla consists of four valvate petals, deltate in staminate flowers, 6–8 mm long, and sparsely appressed puberulent near the apex. The nectary disk and rudimentary ovary are appressed short-hirtellous. Stamens are eight, arranged in two distinct whorls. The ovary is superior. The fruit consists of 25–40 mm wide capsules, with carpels connate for ¼–⅓ of their length and measuring 12–20 mm long. The carpels are somewhat recurved, with an exocarp that is minutely puberulent, at least toward the base. The endocarp is also puberulent, sometimes more densely near the inner suture. Bracts are small and opposite. Seeds are approximately 6 mm long, with 1–2 per cell. When ripe, the seeds are glossy black, crustaceous, and ovoid, sometimes appearing angled due to compression. The embryo is straight within a fleshy endosperm with a short radicle. The cotyledons are compressed and ovate; the putamen is brown and warty. It is found in wet forests between 910–1,220 meters.