This species is frequently collected in lowland, wet, often disturbed vegetation in the area of the Caribbean Basin - Mexico, Central America, northern South America along the northern and Pacific coasts, and in the Antilles. It is characterized by its distinctive stipules, generally robust leaves,and branched inflorescences with the secondary axes usually arranged in verticils of 4 or 6. The stipules are interpetiolar, ovate, costate, and generally aristate and with the margins revolute. Juvenile plants often have leaves with a white stripe along the midrib. Psychotria grandis is similar to and sympatric with Psychotria costivenia; among other feaures, Psychotria costivenia generally has smoother stipules and less robust leaves.
This species was studied by McCartha et al. (2019) in their study of nickel hyperaccumulation, who found a number of plants hyperaccumulated and characterized it as a facultative accumulator.