The simple, alternate leaves of Clutia alaternoides var. alaternoides are almost sessile with blunt tips ending in tiny hairy points or mucros. The margins are entire and slightly rolled under, in picture appearing faintly ciliate. The deep green, leathery blades are dully glossy.

The small, yellow, stalked flowers of the dioecious plants grow solitary from leaf axils on female bushes and in small clusters from upper stem leaf axils on male plants. The male flowers have five sepals and five stamens. In the female flower bearing similar sepals and petals as the male ones, the globose ovary has three single-seeded locules.

The plants flower from winter to summer.

The fruit capsule has three chambers (Bean and Johns, 2005; Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist).