Carissa tetramera grows as a shrub up to 3 metres (9.8 ft) tall. Its strong-scented flowers feature a white corolla, often tinged pink. Fruit is red to purple-black when ripe. Habitat is dry open woodland. Vernacular names for the plant include "sand num-num". C. tetramera is native to Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland and South Africa.