Small to medium-sized tree, 7.5-24 m, ø to c. 35 (-60) cm, sometimes a shrub or treelet 2-4 m at high altitudes; twigs very brittle; bark very variable, white, grey or dark reddish brown, very rough and flaky to slightly to distinctly fissured, the fissures widely spaced, deep, bordered with yellowish scar tissue; inner bark straw to orange or pale brown, fibrous; blaze off-white to pale brown; cambium yellow; wood pinkish straw, turning ± orange, the rays well marked, with no exudate or sapwood described as yellow or straw-coloured and heartwood purplish or dull brownish. Leaves very variable, elliptic, ob-long, ovate or obovate, 3.2—14(—18) by 1.5-8.5 (-10) cm, rounded or obtuse to very shortly acuminate at apex, cuneate at base, rather fleshy or leathery, glossy, ± paler beneath, crenate with thickened tips to crenations; nerves 8-11 pairs; petiole 0.4-1.5 cm; stipules linear to ovate-boat-shaped, 1-2.5 mm long, often caducous; intermediate leafless nodes often present, with sheaths up to 6.5 mm long. Inflorescences terminal compound spikes with several branches usually spreading from a central axis, 1.5-3 cm long, the final branches spiciform with 4-8 flowers; bracts ovate, up to 1.5-3 by 1-2 mm. Male flowers whitish or pale greenish yellow with 2 collateral stamens and rarely a third adaxial one; anthers c. 3 by 1-1.5 mm, the projecting connective subacuminate. Female flowers and fruits congest-ed, the inflorescence-branches usually 0.5-2 cm long, the flowers usually not separated by more than 2 mm; ovary green; stigma brownish. Fruits with spicy aroma, green turning purple-black. Endocarps straw-coloured, sublenticular, 2.5 by 2 by 1.3 mm, keeled.
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A forest tree with sweet smelling leaves. It grows 7-24 m high. The trunk is cylinder shape and about 40 cm across. The bark is rough and cracked. The leaves are spaced along the branches in opposite pairs. They have a short leaf stalk. The leaves are broadest near the middle. The leaves are 4-8 cm long by 3-4 cm wide. They are entire and without lobes. The leaves are green but darker above. The flowers are near the ends of the branches. Male and female flowers are separate on separate plants. The flowers are small and female flowers are smaller than male flowers. The fruit are 5-8 mm long.
In New Guinea usually Nothofagus dominated rain-forest, understorey in montane forest, 450-2850(-3300, on Mt Wilhelm) m. Male fl. June, July, Sept.; ripe fr. June-Aug.
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A tropical plant. It occurs in the forest between 400 and 2800 m altitude. The plant occurs in the Philippines, Borneo and Papua New Guinea.
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