A much-branched shrub up to 3 m. tall.. Short shoots absent.. Young shoots densely or evenly pubescent or evenly to sparingly crisped-puberulous or subglabrous.. Petioles (1.5–)3–9.5 cm. long, hairy like the shoots; leaf-blade elliptic-ovate or somewhat rhomboid-elliptic, (4–)7–14(–19) cm. long, (2–)4–8.5 cm. wide, acutely or obtusely acuminate, cuneate or occasionally rounded, serrate or crenate-serrate, membranous, strongly 3-nerved from the base, lateral nerves 5–6 pairs, sparingly pubescent to subglabrous above and beneath, more densely pubescent or sometimes puberulous or pilose on the midrib and main nerves beneath.. Stipules subulate-setaceous, 4–6 mm. long, sparingly pubescent.. Inflorescences spicate, solitary, axillary, usually borne towards the apices of the shoots, up to 22 cm. long, with 3–20 ♀ flowers occupying the upper quarter to two-thirds, the rest of the inflorescence ♂; axis crisped-puberulous; ♂ bracts minute; ♀ bracts triangular-ovate, 1 mm. long, acute, entire, ciliate, brownish.. Male flowers subsessile or shortly pedicellate, the pedicels densely pubes-cent; buds subglobose, granulose toward the apex, sparingly pubescent or subglabrous.. Female flowers sessile or subsessile; sepals 3, linear-lanceolate, 1.5 mm. long, acute, ciliate; ovary subtrilobate, 0.8 mm. diameter, echinate, evenly pubescent; styles ± free to the base, 3.5–6 mm. long, pectinate, whitish or greenish.. Fruits trilobate, 2.2 mm. long, 4 mm. diameter, echinate, evenly pubescent and puberulous.. Seeds ovoid-subglobose, 1.5 mm. long, 1.2 mm. wide, smooth, brown, with a small apical caruncle.
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