Shell rather small, 9-15 mm., solid, fusiform-biconic, with a tall tabulated spire and truncated body-whorl, terminated in a short widely open shallowly to moderately deeply notched anterior canal, backed in the type species by a moderate fasciole. Protoconch of 2 to 2,5 whorls, rather narrow but with a smooth blunt tip, the last half whorl developing arcuate protractive axial riblets. Adult sculpture of very strong rounded axial folds, obsolete over the shoulder sulcus, overridden by strong rather narrow spiral cords, which become thickened where they cross the axials. Suture submargined by a moderate cord which is waved by the underlying axials. Aperture rather narrow, with a thin outer lip, interrupted above by a deep narrow U-shaped sinus, constricted above by a heavy parietal entering callus pad; lower outer lip with a distinct stromboid notch. Colour of the type species brownish, the intercostal spaces darker than the ribs.

Shell claviform, rather small (7-20 mm), with moderate to high spire and short, somewhat squarely truncate base, with a distinct fasciole. siphonal canal moderately deeply notched; anal sinus fairly deep, U-shaped, somewhat constric¬ted by parietal pad, stromboid notch distinct; lip preceded by a varix; subsutural cord moderate, with distinct shoulder sulcus, rest of whorl sculptured by axial ribs, crossed by strong spiral lirae, sometimes rather nodose at points of crossing; drab or colourless, sometimes zoned with brown. Protoconch narrowly domed, of approximately 2-2,5 whorls, smooth, except for weak axial riblets (and sometimes faint spiral striae) on last half whorl. Operculum oblanceolate, with terminal nucleus. Radula typically crassispirine. Powell (1966: 78) followed Corea (1934) in ranking Buchema as a subgenus of Carinodrillia Dall. 1919, from which it differs in its non-carinate protoconch.

Range — Recent, Puerto Rico Deep, 17-120 fathoms.
Fossil: The Pliocene of Florida.