This species is commonly collected, and widespread with some clinal variation. It has medium-sized elliptic leaves that are usually obtuse to rounded at the tip, several-flowered inflorescences with slender pedunclds and short one-sided axes, truncate calyx limbs, medium-sized white corollas, and medium-sized fruits. Lorence et al. (2012) noted that plants from south-central through western Mexico show variation in leaf size and form, to larger and/or acute at the tips; plants from Panama also vary notably in these features.

Plants included here in Guettarda elliptica are similar to Guettarda filipes, which may not be distinct or perhaps two similar species are actually represented at, for example, the Chamela reserve. The plants from that site were studied and regarded as one species by Dominguez Licona (thesis). 

This species is similar to Guettarda odorata, and these have been confused by the long-time applicaiion of this name to plants of Guettarda elliptica in the Greater Antilles and Central America. Guettarda odorata has leaves that are shiny and glabrous, smaller inflorescences, and smaller flowers and fruits, and Guettarda odorata replaces Guettarda elliptica in the eastern Antilles. Guettarda odorata and Guettarda elliptica are also similar to Guettarda divaricata, which was separated as a species allopatric to both of those in northern South America by Steyermark (1972).