Tree or Shrub up to 8 m tall, branches blachish, lenticellate. Leaves alternate, lamina ovate – elliptic, 2-10 x 1.4-4 cm . Flowers axillary, 2-3 per axil, sepal up to 0.2 cm and petels up to 0.1 cm long. Fruit globose, up to 0.8 cm in diameter, reddish.

Rhamnis prinoides can sometime be a small erected  tree or climbing one’s or  with decumbent branches (branches lie on the ground with tips turned upwards) The leaves are alternate. Inflorescence is  axillary fascicules of 2 to 10 flowers.

In Rwanda Rhamnus prinoides is an important medicinal plant. The leaves are used to treat poisoning and rheumatism and are said effective against madness and bedevilment.

IN Uganda, the decoction of the roots is used for treatind gonorrhea. The decoction of theroots together with the bark of Erythrina abyssinica alleviates collics. Soup made from the roots is taken by people suffering from rheumatism in the legs.