Bhesa nitidissima is a species of flowering plant in the Centroplacaceae family. It is a tree endemic to Sri Lanka.
The species was first described by André Joseph Guillaume Henri Kostermans in 1977.
A tree with an average height of but can reach as high as . Bark is usually dark brown and deeply cracked on older specimens. The unique feature of the Bhesa genus within the Centroplacaceae family is its geniculate petioles; which essentially means that the leaf bends sharply away from the stalk. The petiole usually contains three vascular bundles. Seed germination is epigeal. Produces 3-4mm wide, greenish to white sessile flowers with 5 petals. The flowers produce greenish brown, oblong seeds encased in a thick gelatinous aril inside capsules up to 2.2 cm long.
Endemic to Sri Lanka. Found mostly in low elevation wet zone forests, but have a recorded range of up to . The tree flowers September through October and produces fruit November through December. Although listed as critically endangered in 1998, a 2017 handbook of Sri Lankan flora suggests the tree is now quite common.
The arils of Bhesa are a known human food source. The tree is occasionally used for timber. Extracts from this genus are used in traditional medicine, to cure vomiting and diarrhea.