This species has relatively well developed leaves (for Catesbaea), funneform corollas ca. 1 cm long with short lobes, white fruits 6-13 mm long. The flowers are similar to some species of Portlandia, and vegetatively this species is similar to Randia aculeata. Catesbaee grayi is also similar to Catesbaea holacantha and Catesbaea macracantha. The flowers of Catesbaea macracantha are apparently not known, and it has been separated based only on its larger fruits, ca. 15 mm diam.; Catesbaea grayi has fruits know up to 13 mm long diam., and these may be usefully compared with modern specimens. 

Borhidi et al. (2017) treated this species as endemic to Cuba without comment, but it was also reported from western Haiti by Liogier (1995).