Melicope degeneri is a medium-sized tree, typically reaching 4–11 m in height. The stems have reddish-brown bark, with new growth densely covered in yellowish-brown tomentose hairs. Young branches are tomentose but become glabrate with age. The leaves are simple and opposite, with elliptic-obovate blades measuring 6–20.5 cm long and 2–8.5 cm wide. The apex is rounded and slightly emarginate, while the base is broadly cuneate to rounded. The upper surfaces are glabrate, whereas the lower surfaces are villous, especially along the midrib. The leaves are coriaceous, with entire margins. Primary lateral veins are usually in 12–15 pairs and inconspicuous. The venation is pinnate, with lateral veins connected by an arched submarginal vein and higher-order venation forming a reticulate pattern. Petioles are 15–30 mm long and densely short-villous. Stipules are absent. The flowers are arranged in axillary cymes, with about three per cyme, up to 5.5 cm long. Peduncles can reach up to 2 cm long, and pedicels are approximately 3 mm long. The bracteoles are deltate and about 1 mm long. Staminate flowers are unknown, while pistillate flowers have a glabrous nectary disk. The calyx consists of four imbricate sepals that are deltate and measure 3 mm long, with an appressed puberulent surface. The corolla consists of four yellow-green deltate petals, 4.5–5 mm long, with a minutely appressed puberulent texture. There are eight stamens, which are rudimentary in pistillate flowers. The ovary is superior, four-celled, and four-lobed, with connate carpels but only slightly distinct at the apex or almost entirely fused. Each cell contains two hemitropous ovules, one ascending. The style is single, terminating in four short stigmatic branches. The ovary is glabrous, measuring about 2.0–2.2 mm wide, with a slender, glabrous style about 2 mm long. The fruit is a cuboid capsule measuring 7–9 mm long and 7–12 mm wide. The carpels are completely connate, and the exocarp and endocarp are glabrous. Seeds are about 4.5 mm long, glossy black when ripe, crustaceous, and ovoid. Some seeds may be angled from 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 at elevations of approximately 1,220 meters.