This is a new species of Magnolia subsection Magnolia (Magnoliaceae), distributed in the cloud forest of San Cristóbal Verapaz, Alta Verapaz, and is culturally important for the local villagers. It differs from other similar species, M. montebelloensis and M. tribouillierana, in having an abruptly acuminate leaf apex (drip tip), larger flowers, purple staminophores and more stamens, among other traits. According to IUCN criteria, M. poqomchi is critically endangered [B1ab (iii), B2ab (iii)].
Evergreen trees, 15.0–22.0 (30.0) m tall, 0.3–0.7 (1.0) m dbh; bark greyish brown and smooth; twig width 0.4–0.8 cm, twig internodes glabrous, lenticellate; petioles 1.0–3.8 × 0.2 cm, glabrous, stipular scar absent; stipules free from petioles, 8.0–10.0 × 0.9–1.3 cm, pinkish, densely pubescent; early leaf buds densely pubescent, pubescence beige; leaves elliptic to oblong elliptic, (13.5–) 15.7–22.5 × 5.0–8.2 cm, base slightly attenuate to obtuse, apex abruptly acuminate (drip tip), adaxially and abaxially glabrescent; largest peduncular internodes 1.9–2.6 × 4.1–6.4 cm; flower buds ovoid to oblongoid, 21.5–30.4(–35.3) × 17.8–21.0(–25.3) mm, consisting of two spathaceous, densely hirsutebracts with golden yellowish hairs; flowers terminal, solitary, 7.3–11.0 cm in diameter when open, creamy white, turning brown; sepals 3, 4.7–5.8 × 3.7–4.6 cm, greenish white; petals 6, outer ones (4.8) 5.6–7.4 × 3.5–5.7 cm, obovate, gradually narrowing toward the base, creamy white; inner petals 4.7–5.5(6.6) × 3.0–3.7(4.7) cm, obovate, creamy white, fragrant; staminophore 0.7–0.8 × 0.5–0.7 cm, purple; stamens 92–94, (14.7–)16.0–17.8 × 2.7–3.4 mm, laminar, creamy white, purple at base, the connective obtuse to acute, strongly arched; stigmas 2–3 mm, slightly curled and beaked, persistent, yellowish green; fruit a polyfollicle, ellipsoid-oblongoid, 3.8–5.2 × 2.2–2.8 cm, green turning dark brown, glabrous; carpels 26–32, basal carpels (13.9–)15.0–20.2 × (5.0–)5.9–7.5(–9.5) mm, acute at the apex, the beaks 2–3 mm, glabrous; seeds 1–2 per carpel, 0.7–0.9 × 0.6–0.8 × 0.4 cm, scarlet red.