Trees or shrubs, to 8 m. Stems and buds densely reddish pubescent. Leaf blades oblong-elliptic to suborbiculate, 2-10 × 1-6 cm, broadly coriaceous, rigid when dry, base cuneate, apex rounded to slightly retuse, surfaces glabrate. Inflorescences loose, 4-6 cm; buds and branches densely reddish pubescent. Flowers: staminate yellowish green to purple; perianth funnelform, 4-5 mm, reddish pubescent; fruiting pedicel 2-3 mm. Fruits 5-9 × 2-3 mm upon drying.

Flowering summer. Hammocks; 0-100 m; Fla.; West Indies.

Guapira obtusata is rare in the flora in the Florida Keys.

N. L. Britton (1904b) discussed the misapplication of Pisonia obtusata Swartz to Guapira obtusata and its erroneous inclusion in G. discolor (as Torrubia).