This is a large, evergreen tree, up to 35 m tall and with a
dbh of up to 100 cm. As with all other species of
Magnolia, the twigs have stipules that enclose the twig tips and leave conspicuous circular scars after falling off. The leaves are
spirally arranged, usually oblong, rather small for a
Magnolia (usually 6-9 x 3–4.5 cm) and, like the other parts of the plant, almost completely glabrous. Only on the upper side of the petiole and on the lower side of the lamina, next to the midrib, there is a thin, but conspicuous line of brown hairs. The flowers are solitary on short stalks in the leaf-axils, have a diameter of c. 4 cm and white
tepals. The fruits consist of 8-11
apocarpous carpels that release the seeds at maturity. The combination of the hairs, flower position and low number of carpels is unique for the species and can be used to distinguish
M. sulawesiana from all other species of
Magnolia in Sulawesi. ==Distribution and ecology==