Melicope spathulata is a shrub or shrubby tree, typically reaching heights of 2–4 meters, though some can grow as tall as 12 meters. It features a trunk up to 20 cm in diameter with leafy branches toward the apex, which may be glabrous or exhibit yellowish-brown pubescence on the new growth and inflorescences. The leaves are simple, opposite, and exhibit a variety of shapes from spatulate to oblanceolate or elliptic-obovate, and occasionally elliptic, measuring 10–50 cm in length and 2.5–20 cm in width. The apex can be rounded, obtuse, acute, or sometimes acuminate, while the base ranges from rounded to obtuse or acute. Leaf surfaces are typically glabrous, though the lower surfaces might be puberulent, especially on the veins, and are usually paler on the underside. The margins are entire, sometimes slightly revolute. The lateral veins are sub-opposite, ascending, and straight for about three-quarters of their length before dividing to connect with a distinct submarginal vein, with the midrib being sulcated on the upper surface. The petioles range from absent to 95 mm long. The flowers are in axillary cymes consisting of 3–5 flowers, with peduncles up to 30 mm and pedicels ranging from 6–30 mm long. The flowers are bisexual (perfect) and actinomorphic (radially symmetric), featuring a calyx of four sepals in imbricated pairs, broadly ovate, 8–10 mm long, and subpersistent with ciliolate edges, and may vary from glabrous to puberulent. The corolla consists of four white or cream petals, oblong-ovate to oblong-obovate, 14–21 mm long, and slightly imbricate. It has eight stamens with filaments nearly completely connate into a staminal tube and elongate anthers that are subsessile on lobes of the staminal tube. The superior ovary is 4-lobed, ± puberulent, usually becoming glabrate, with carpels connate adaxially throughout their length. The ovules are 5–8 per carpel, pendulous on short, broad funiculi, with a style about 9 mm long, subclavate, and linear stigmas. The fruit is subglobose, 20–35 mm in diameter, 4-lobed, and may be glabrous or minutely puberulent. It features carpels that are erect and connate throughout, separating at various places during development. The seeds are 5–8 per cell, with short funicles and a glabrous endocarp. The embryo has thin, broad, rounded cotyledons and a very short hypocotyl embedded in a white endosperm. It is found in mesic to wet forests between 450-1,420 meters.