This species is characterized by meedium-sized, rather coriceous, shiny leaves, slender usually well developed inflorescence axes, 5-merous flowers, rather small corollas 6--8 m long, and rather small fruits, 5--8 mm long. It is rather similar to Stenostomum coriaceum, with 4-merous flowers and longer corollas. 

The name Stenostomum nitidum has been synonymized with Stenostomum lucidum (Borhidi et al. 2017), or recognized as separate (Grisebach, 1861). It was described originally from Cuba and said there to be similar to Stenostomum lucidum. It was reported by Grisebach also from Jamaica, but neither he nor the original description gave enough informaiton to separate this plant from other Stenostomum species. Presumably Malanea nitida has 4-merous flowers, a diagnostic feature of Malanea, but that genus was formerly sometimes circumscribed more broadly to include species with 5-merous flowers. No material has been found of this plant, so its identity is not completely clear.