Box-Leaved Barleria is a shrub 5-6 ft tall, with strong spines under the leaves. Flowers are purple-blue, produced in whorls towards the upper part of the stem. The species name buxifolia means leaves like Boxwood tree. Leaves are 8-16 mm long, ovate or obovate, tip blunt with a sharp point. Leaves are nearly stalkless, with hairs on both sides scattered, white, short. Spines below the leaves are 6-6 mm long, simple and straight. Flowers arise mostly solitary, purple blue. Bracts are 6-8 mm long, reduced to simple spines. Flower-tube is 1.8–2.5 cm long, slightly widened upwards.