This species is characterized by its pilosulous or hirtellous habit, rather short stipules, medium-sized elliptic petiolate leaves that apparently lack domatia, subsessile subcapitate inflorescences with linear bracts, pilosulous apparently short but lobed calyx limbs, and relatively large ridged ellipsoid to ovoid fruits. Both the bracts and the ridged fruits are unusual. This species i snot well documented and apparently its flowers are not yet known. The leaves on some specimens are ternate.

Coussarea megalocarpa is similar to Coussarea vasqueziana, which has resinous buds, reduced bracts, and usually pedunculate inflorescences. Coussarea megalocarpa is also similar to Coussarea tenuiflora, with pedunculate paniculiform inflorecences and reduced bracts.