Habit: Polyscias guilfoylei grows as a shrub up to 6 m in height (usually shorter). The pinnately compound leaves are arranged alternately and to 30 cm in length. The leaflets are elliptic/ovate, up to 10 cm long, 2 cm wide, with an entire, serrate, or lobed margin and acute/obtuse apex, and often with spots or lines.
The complete, perfect, actinomorphic flowers are arranged in terminal panicles upper portions more umbel like. The calyx has small, unfused, green sepals. The corolla has unfused petals. There are 5 – 6 stamens fused to the corolla. The ovary is inferior. The fruit is a drupe.
Habitat: Polyscias guilfoylei grows in Human Altered environments (yards and gardens).
Distribution: Polyscias guilfoylei is NOT native to the Lucayan Archipelago but occurs in the northern island groupings. It is native to southeast Asia but is grown throughout the Caribbean region and other tropical and subtropical areas.
Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Polyscias guilfoylei is not known to be used medicinally in the Lucayan Archipelago.
It is used as an ornamental as a hedge.