Dioecious (male and female flowers borne on separate bushes), evergreen shrub up to 2m. Leaves trifoliate (with 3 leaflets), leaflets without flower stalks, obovate, leathery, stiff, leaf margins wavy; flowers small, red. Fruits smooth, three-pointed.

Greek: skytos = a skin, hide, anything made of leather; phyllon = leaf: referring to the leathery leaves.