A shrubby relative of the common māhoe with long, narrow, willow-like leaves and brown bark. A tree that looks like a willow but is not. It grows in lowland and montane forests from Whangārei southwards, reaching up to 6 metres in height. The leaves are lance-shaped, up to 15 centimetres long and only 2 to 3 centimetres wide, giving the plant a slender, graceful appearance. A tree that reaches for the light. The greenish-white flowers appear on bare twigs below the leaves, a characteristic of the genus Melicytus. The flowers are small and inconspicuous, with five petals that curl back at the edges. They are followed by violet-blue berries that are eaten by birds. The berries are spherical, about 6 millimetres in diameter, and contain several small seeds. A tree that feeds the birds. The name māhoe wao means forest māhoe, distinguishing it from the more common lowland species Melicytus ramiflorus, which is known simply as māhoe or whiteywood. The species is less common than its lowland relative and has a more restricted distribution. A tree that stays in the forest. The wood is soft and white, similar to that of common māhoe. It was used by Māori as the base board for fire-making by friction. When rubbed with a kaikōmako stick, the wood quickly forms flammable dust, which can be ignited to start a fire. This traditional method of fire-making was known as the kaikōmako method, named after the stick used. A tree that helped make fire. The plant is not commonly cultivated but can be grown in shaded, damp gardens. It is an important component of the forest understorey, providing food for birds and shelter for insects. The forest understorey is dark. The māhoe wao grows slender, willow-leaved, violet berries hidden in the shade. The birds come. The berries disappear. The tree does not mind. That is the point.